Dying from thirst and memory
she offers me a smile
a cool smooth cyan liquid
in a clear goblet
Fascinating it dances with light
twirls in my hand relaxing
a stubborn sorrow falling away
like clothes in sweltering summer
Into her glittering pools I dive
to drown in sweet distraction
why surface to breathe poison
when she heals as my nepenthe
This year marks the tenth anniversary of my first poetry collection, Wednesday Night Regular. To celebrate Iām posting my favorite poems from the book on Wednesday nights, of course.
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 
“a stubborn sorrow falling away
like clothes in sweltering summer” šš
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Glad you liked those old lines, CB. Thanks!
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Have you visited Nepenthe In Big Sur?
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Sadly no. I’ve only traveled to Big Sur through Jack Keroauc’s writing but that looks like an excellent restaurant.
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Surprisingly expensive for a rustic restaurant. Good wine list, food offerings, and a diverse store of clothing, books, jewelry, and household items. Gorgeous view of the Pacific.
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I’d never heard of Nepenthe before; thank you for the introduction. It would be great to have something to just drink away sorrow – or would it?
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My pleasure! I think I first encountered that word on one of those Forgotten English page-a-day calendars.
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Beautiful lines š
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Thank you, Priti.
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š
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