Agent of Empire
I tried to change the system
from within. I failed.
Our Empire is not easily turned.
We’re not a kayak on a lake
where dipping a paddle
brings new direction.
We’re an ocean container ship
that doesn’t notice heavy seas
and plows heedless through all
but the strongest storms.
Instead of changing, I was changed.
If you want to make a difference,
do not grab the helm—
be the storm.
(Combing two prompts, Agent and Empire.)
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.
Bartholomew Barker, Poet 
This is a great piece Bart. Such strong metaphor all the way thru. ❤
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Thanks! I’m a little worried it could be taken as a call to violence by conservatives but I doubt many of them are reading my blog.
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They can read??? 😳
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Oh, yes, they can read. They just choose different things to read.
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The kayak and ocean ship metaphors are spot-on. I love it!
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Thanks! Glad it resonated with you.
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“If you want to make a difference,
do not grab the helm—
be the storm.” I cannot agree more.
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Good! Let’s get stormy!
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✊
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Nice poem. Thanks
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You’re welcome.
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Beautiful and so wise:)
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You’re too kind. Thank you.
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