Sappho’s Song (2021)

Sappho’s Song

Sing me no songs of the daylight
for the sun is the enemy of lovers.
Sing me instead of shadows and darkness
and the memories of midnight.

Sing me no songs of domestic brews
for the lite beers do not intoxicate.
Sing me instead of red wine and absinthe
and the grace of my intemperate muse.

Sing me no songs of everyday women
for the office ladies do not inspire.
Sing me instead of strippers on stage
and late nights at the club.

Sing me no songs of bleached blonds
for they have nothing ‘neath their curls.
Sing me instead of smoldering red heads
and the grave misfortunes of virtue.

for Justine


Sharing a poem that appeared in my first book, Wednesday Night Regular. The first stanza is shamelessly stolen from the ancient Greek poet, Sappho. I made some minor changes to my three stanzas tonight to bring it into my current style and punch it up a little with what I’ve learned over the past decade.

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. 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.
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9 Responses to Sappho’s Song (2021)

  1. mbrazfieldm says:

    this rocks friend xo

    Liked by 1 person

  2. ivor20 says:

    Your punch and style sang the right tune …

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Beautiful and subtly sensual write! I LOVE IT!!! πŸ˜€πŸ™

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Annette Kalandros says:

    Love this one. And well,…..redheads can haunt you.

    Liked by 1 person

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