The Optimist’s Sonnet

Posted on 2019/12/30 by Bartholomew Barker

happy-new-year-1063797_1280.jpg

The Optimist’s Sonnet

I’m thankful for this flat tire
making me late for work.
At least I have a car and two jobs
so I can keep up my payments.

I’m thankful for this headache
reminding me I’m alive and for Advil
since I can’t take time off to see a doctor
even if I could afford the co-pay.

I’m trying to stay positive
since my girlfriend’s pregnant
but I’m afraid to ask for a raise
since they busted the union.

I’m thankful that this year was so damn bad,
there’s no way next year could get any worse.

 

About Bartholomew Barker

Bartholomew Barker is one of the organizers of Living Poetry, a collection of poets and poetry lovers in the Triangle region of North Carolina. 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 makes money as a computer programmer to fund his poetry habit.
This entry was posted in Poetry and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

18 Responses to The Optimist’s Sonnet

  1. Filimages says:
    2019/12/30 at 16:52

    I wish you a better 2020 year than 2019 ! :)

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. Lisa Tomey says:
    2019/12/30 at 17:16

    The story of one too many lives, expressed from the soul.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  3. JeanMarie says:
    2019/12/30 at 17:32

    Still don’t like the title. :)

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  4. mbrazfieldm says:
    2019/12/30 at 17:46

    All the health and fortitude to keep on keeping on in 2020 friend 😊💜

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  5. Cassa Bassa says:
    2019/12/30 at 18:00

    Well penned, it represents a lot of the working poor.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  6. erroneouschoices says:
    2019/12/30 at 18:49

    You’re awesome for your perspective ❤️

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  7. -Eugenia says:
    2020/01/05 at 20:28

    Well done! The darker side of many lives.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

Leave a reply to erroneouschoices Cancel reply