Spinning Beauty

Posted on 2023-05-31 by Bartholomew Barker

Watching her
I am reminded
Of my first love
Astronomy

She glides graceful
Across the stage
Until captured
by gravity’s pole

Revolving ’round
Delicately balanced
Familiar phases
Cast in strobe light

Rotating on her axis
She traces deferents
With high heels
Casting epicycles

Her heavenly body
Evokes celestial law
Oh to be the cylinder
At the center of her universe

This year marks the tenth anniversary of my first poetry collection, Wednesday Night Regular. To celebrate I’m posting my favorite poems from the book on Wednesday nights, of course.

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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.
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20 Responses to Spinning Beauty

  1. Ali Grimshaw's avatar Ali Grimshaw says:
    2023-05-31 at 20:57

    Great poem. Congratulations on the celebration.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  2. Gypsie-Ami Offenbacher-Ferris's avatar Gypsie-Ami Offenbacher-Ferris says:
    2023-05-31 at 21:10

    Beautiful interpretation Bartholomew! 💃

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. Sarah E Barker's avatar Sarah E Barker says:
    2023-05-31 at 21:59

    very nice. I like it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  4. berniebell1955's avatar berniebell1955 says:
    2023-06-01 at 02:47

    “Oh to be the cylinder
    At the center of her universe”

    Reminds me of a line from ‘Your Love is King’ by Sade…

    “I’m coming on, I’m coming
    You’re making me dance inside…”

    This will also go in m’blog – with the comment…

    “Only Bartholomew Barker would balance the movements of celestial bodies with the movements of a pole-dancer – and he does it so well…..”

    I know at least one Astronomer who will appreciate/enjoy this one.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. Cassa Bassa's avatar Cassa Bassa says:
    2023-06-01 at 03:00

    I agreed with you on pole dancing. I love watching the strength and elegance intertwining.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. yourplateormine967244485's avatar yourplateormine967244485 says:
    2023-06-01 at 06:00

    Congratulations 🎉 and beautiful and soulful poem. ✨

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  7. luvgoodcarp's avatar luvgoodcarp says:
    2023-06-02 at 06:08

    That opening stanza is fantastic. It’s surprising and pulls the reader in.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. berniebell1955's avatar berniebell1955 says:
    2023-06-03 at 12:28

    I sent Bartholomew’s poem to my chum Eamonn Keyes, who said…

    “Beautiful comparative words and imagery and timely for me, as I’m currently writing and recording the title track for one of the 2 CDs I hope to release this year, ‘A Beginner’s Guide To Chaos’, a tongue in cheek song which brings the theory of cosmic chaos to a band’s hopeless attempts to achieve stardom. It may be vaguely autobiographical.”

    Eamonn wrote this….

    Horizons

    ..and played his part in this….

    Album Review: ‘Blame It On The Thunderbird’

    Poetical astronomers…musical astronomers – all aspects of awareness and appreciation.

    Liked by 1 person

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  9. Pingback: Spinning Beauty – So Cal Nailz

  10. The_AI_Chronicles's avatar The_AI_Chronicles says:
    2023-09-07 at 03:54

    Something Issac Newton would approve of. I like it

    Liked by 1 person

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