Waiting at the Bar
Don’t talk to me,
I’m quite content
watching you pour and mix
while I sip and twirl,
awash in the hum
of other conversations
and the ting of silverware.
Let me savor these moments,
anticipating her arrival.
Don’t distract me
with sports talk
or weathered cliches.
The wine you poured
and the woman not yet here
are inspiration enough.
About Bartholomew Barker
Bartholomew Barker is an organizer of Living Poetry, a collection of poets in the Triangle region of North Carolina where he has hosted a monthly feedback workshop for more than decade. His first poetry collection, Wednesday Night Regular, written in and about strip clubs, was published in 2013. His second, Milkshakes and Chilidogs, a chapbook of food inspired poetry was served in 2017. He was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2021. Born and raised in Ohio, studied in Chicago, he worked in Connecticut for nearly twenty years before moving to Hillsborough where he lives and writes poetry.
Bartholomew Barker, Poet 
“watching you pour and mix
while I sip and twirl,” “the ting of silverware.” Lovely expressions and a lovely poem.
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Thanks. It’s an old one I thought I’d revive.
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I’ve revived several dusty ones lately.
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It’s a good way to keep working when you aren’t feeling particularly inspired.
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Yes!
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