Winter Solstice Sonnet

Posted on 2020-12-21 by Bartholomew Barker

Winter Solstice Sonnet

I’ve lived where the solstice air
freezes onto my mustache.
Where daylight is a vague glow
behind clouds of dirty slush.

I’ve felt that deep ancestral fear
that the sun has given up
and we’ll all shiver solid,
defeated by the menacing dark.

Light a candle with me tonight.
Share this bottle of wine.
Trust that our planet hasn’t spun
off into the eternal void

and tomorrow we’ll tilt toward summer
once again.

For this week’s Living Poetry prompt. Wishing you clear sunset skies so you can witness the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.

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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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10 Responses to Winter Solstice Sonnet

  1. Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld's avatar Lisa Tomey says:
    2020-12-21 at 17:06

    Well done. Cheers!

    Liked by 1 person

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  2. JeanMarie's avatar JeanMarie says:
    2020-12-21 at 17:16

    I love this poem. šŸ’›

    Wish i could have a glass with you tonight but unfortunately, where i am now, I can’t even have an open flame! So i will trust you to keep the evening watch, and go to sleep with a prayer for brighter days.

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. Pingback: Guest Poets – Re-blog: Bartholomew Barker – The VIXEN of VERSE

  4. doncarroll's avatar doncarroll says:
    2020-12-22 at 08:00

    nice piece…..especially liked the 3rd stanza.

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. browniepup's avatar browniepup says:
    2020-12-27 at 08:32

    Very powerful imagery. Excellent. Lisa

    Liked by 1 person

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