Monthly Archives: June 2021

World’s Largest Ball of Twine

Posted on 2021/06/29 by Bartholomew Barker

Sure, wandering through cemeteries, sitting in libraries and writing haiku is a great way to spend a vacation but what about the World’s Largest Ball of Twine? Not far from Eisenhower’s grave is Cawker City, Kansas (population 469) home of … Continue reading →

Posted in Ephemera | Tagged ball, cawker city, center, geodetic, geographic, kansas, osborne, roadtrip, twine | 7 Comments

Charles Curtis’ Grave

Posted on 2021/06/27 by Bartholomew Barker

The final grave of this roadtrip is Vice President Charles Curtis, the first vice president with acknowledged non-European ancestry and the only one, so far, with a Native American tribal affiliation. His tombstone reads “Son of the Kanza Nation”. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Dead Presidents | Tagged curtis, kansas, topeka, vice president | 4 Comments

Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Grave

Posted on 2021/06/26 by Bartholomew Barker

Turns out I didn’t need to buy that ticket after all. When I arrived yesterday in Abilene, Kansas, I swung by the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and expected to be able to saunter up to his grave, take my … Continue reading →

Posted in Dead Presidents | Tagged eisenhower, grave, kansas, president | 8 Comments

Driving across Kansas

Posted on 2021/06/25 by Bartholomew Barker

Driving across Kansashighways straightas wind shear Rain drapes the roadwipers useless against the stormheadlights losing to darkness Flat applause of large dropsagainst the windshieldchanges to sharp cracksas white peas bounceoff the hood I hear a traintires lose tractionspinning against the … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged kansas, oz, roadtrip, thunderstorm, tornado | 11 Comments

Jacob Briggs Heavilin’s Grave

Posted on 2021/06/24 by Bartholomew Barker

I came to Springdale, Arkansas to visit the grave of Jacob Briggs Heavilin, my great great great grandfather, and to try to get more details on how he ended up here but I leave with this photo and more questions. … Continue reading →

Posted in Dead Ancestors | Tagged arkansas, genealogy, Heavilin, springdale | 6 Comments

Haiku: Left Arm

Posted on 2021/06/23 by Bartholomew Barker

Left arm sunburnInterstate median irisesSummer roadtrip

Posted in Poetry | Tagged haiku, roadtrip, summer | 3 Comments

Alben William Barkley’s Grave

Posted on 2021/06/22 by Bartholomew Barker

The sky was bluer than usual this morning as I drove to Paducah, Kentucky. No clouds and fewer trees as I crossed fields of corn and soybeans. The sky was so blue I could almost pick out the brightest stars … Continue reading →

Posted in Dead Presidents | Tagged barkley, cemetery, grave, Kentucky, vice president | Leave a comment

Summer Haiku

Posted on 2021/06/21 by Bartholomew Barker

These verdant mountainsfeasting on solstice sunshineand a thunderstorm For today’s Solstice Poetry Prompt from Living Poetry.

Posted in Poetry | Tagged haiku, roadtrip, Solstice, summer | 2 Comments

Fraiku: Doctor Verse

Posted on 2021/06/18 by Bartholomew Barker

Don’t edit yourselfPoetry is the feverLet it heal your mind

Posted in Poetry | Tagged doctor, fever, fraiku, haiku, heal | 13 Comments

Andromeda

Posted on 2021/06/14 by Bartholomew Barker

Andromeda Growing up, my girl next door was called Andy.I just assumed gravity would bring us together—like two galaxies slowly merging over a lifetime. It might still happen though we’re no longer neighbors—not that that matters in this age of … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged astronomy, blogging, galaxy, neighbor | 8 Comments