After the Opera

Posted on 2022/08/30 by Bartholomew Barker

After the Opera

I once told you that no great opera had a happy ending
and our affair was predestined for the stage.

And years after the curtain fell on our drama,
the cymbals clash and the gong echoes away—

I doubt you’d recognize me, gray bearded, nose drooping,
rotund as the baritone, writing navel gazing free verse crap.

Did you ever finish that novel or return to your husband?
You don’t follow my blog so I don’t expect an answer.

We didn’t have the grace to die young,
like proper heroes, so what do we do now?

(For Sammi Cox’s Weekend Writing Prompt: Opera.)

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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19 Responses to After the Opera

  1. Gypsie-Ami Offenbacher-Ferris says:
    2022/08/30 at 20:38

    Touché…. Only it’s a he and not a she in my case. Heartbreakingly realistic Bartholomew! (Never know with you what’s Creative Nonfiction or what’s fiction!) 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. yourplateormine967244485 says:
    2022/08/30 at 22:45

    Wonderful poem, love the end, we didn’t have to grace to die young… I love the ride it took me on. 💖🤗

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. pensivepoetblog says:
    2022/08/30 at 23:29

    Love the pathos in this one, Bart. It made me feel quite sad for all those long lost things. How things appear in reflection. Nicely done!

    Mary

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  5. Cassa Bassa says:
    2022/08/31 at 02:42

    That’s a great story! Not all great love ends well.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. brittabenson says:
    2022/08/31 at 02:44

    Oh, this is good. Loved every line of this opera. Great take on the prompt, Bartholomew.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  7. berniebell1955 says:
    2022/08/31 at 04:19

    “We didn’t have the grace to die young,
    like proper heroes, so what do we do now?”

    My lord – yes indeedy-doodly do.

    Reminds me of ‘Jack & Diane’ by John Cougar Mellencamp…

    “Life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone”

    Jenny Joseph has an answer to the question ‘What do we do now?….. https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/warning/

    Or, on the other hand there’s ….”Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64?”

    You’ve set me off thinking, again, Bart. Round and round I go….

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. JeanMarie says:
    2022/09/10 at 23:15

    Lovely and poignant

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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