Directions to My Place

Posted on 2023-04-30 by Bartholomew Barker

I invite my muse to stay for a long weekend
but it’s difficult finding my apartment
in this labyrinthine complex.

My text message directions are simple:
Turn left at the old Quaker Meetinghouse (not the new one)
Turn left at the run-down home by the lake in autumn
Turn left at the divorce you know is best for both
Turn left at the tree with poems rustling in the leaves
You might think you’ve turned completely around
but (Surprise!) it’s a spiral
I’m just not sure
if I’m at the center
or on the fringe.

But she still can’t find me
so I tell her to drive to Ohio
fifty-something years ago
that’s where it all started
and if she wants to get to where I am,
she’ll just have to take the same path.

(My final poem-a-day for April combined two prompts, Robert Lee Brewer’s write a surprise poem and the Poetry Superhighway’s write a poem in which you give very bad directions on how to find you.)

(Whew! I don’t have to write another poem until my next Fraiku!)

Unknown's avatar

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.
This entry was posted in Poetry and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

24 Responses to Directions to My Place

  1. thecultofanne's avatar thecultofanne says:
    2023-04-30 at 17:23

    We made it! Time to collapse. I haven’t written this much poetry in years. Not sure how good it is. And I have you to thank for it. (You can take that however you want.)

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. Stacey C. Johnson's avatar Stacey C. Johnson says:
    2023-04-30 at 17:48

    What a great poem, Bartholomew! Heck of a strong finish, congratulations!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. Gypsie-Ami Offenbacher-Ferris's avatar Gypsie-Ami Offenbacher-Ferris says:
    2023-04-30 at 17:59

    Fantastic Bartholomew! Congratulations! 🍾

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  4. JeanMarie's avatar JeanMarie says:
    2023-04-30 at 19:22

    You nailed the bad directions prompt. Very fun. Congratulations on Surviving the month

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. Sarah E Barker's avatar Sarah E Barker says:
    2023-04-30 at 21:04

    Very Good

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. berniebell1955's avatar berniebell1955 says:
    2023-05-01 at 04:29

    To the tune of ‘Ding-dong The Witch Is Dead’ from ‘The Wizard of Oz’…..

    Ding-dong the poems are done
    Which old poems?
    The April poems
    Ding-dong the April poems are done.

    They’ve gone
    As all of Bart’s poems do
    Onto his blog for you
    To read and ‘like’

    No more will he
    Have to follow prompts
    He can just let go –
    So –

    Heigh-ho the merry-o
    Sing it high
    Sing it low
    Let them know

    THE TASK FOR APRIL’S DONE!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. luvgoodcarp's avatar luvgoodcarp says:
    2023-05-01 at 06:09

    A long and winding road, no doubt. Great imagery.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. Bridgette's avatar Bridgette says:
    2023-05-01 at 23:26

    Love this one! Those muses sure do like to get lost.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a reply to Bartholomew Barker Cancel reply