Beggars Night

Posted on 2020-10-19 by Bartholomew Barker

Beggars Night

It must be Halloween.
There are little boys marching
through my neighborhood,
fondling their guns,
wearing grown men costumes—
Junior dressed as a Brownshirt,
little Eric as a Proud Boy.

They want us to be as frightened
as they are. I give them candy
but can’t keep a straight face.
Their corporate sponsored
goodie bags have pre-ripped holes
yet they blame everybody else
for losing their treats.

(I voted this morning. How about you? With just two weeks until Election Day, if you haven’t voted yet, better make a plan and stick to it. Only with a massive turnout will we be able to overcome post-election shenanigans.)

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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.
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15 Responses to Beggars Night

  2. JeanMarie's avatar JeanMarie says:
    2020-10-19 at 20:56

    Still a scary picture

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. Sumyanna's avatar Sumyanna says:
    2020-10-20 at 13:04

    Oh, love this. We voted this weekend.

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. jupitergrant's avatar jupitergrant says:
    2020-10-24 at 18:48

    Hear hear. I’m not able to vote in your elections of course, but I am watching with anticipation and a whole lot of hope x

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Bartholomew Barker's avatar Bartholomew Barker says:
      2020-10-24 at 18:58

      I must admit, I feel more anxiety than anticipation but we’ll try to do the right thing.

      Liked by 1 person

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      • jupitergrant's avatar jupitergrant says:
        2020-10-29 at 13:49

        Yes, it’s anxiety ridden due to what happened in 2016- it was such a shock. It was the same here with Brexit a few months prior to Trump – a lot of us were absolutely floored when we woke up and heard the result! Here’s hoping it’ll be good news next week 🤞

        Liked by 1 person

      • Bartholomew Barker's avatar Bartholomew Barker says:
        2020-10-29 at 17:38

        I visited Scotland just a few weeks after the Brexit vote and the shock was palatable even for a Yank. At least it helped me explain the popularity of Trump when folks asked me how someone like him could get so far.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Susi Bocks's avatar Susi Bocks says:
    2020-10-26 at 22:53

    My ballot was received today!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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