Ringing Doorbells

Posted on 2023-10-30 by Bartholomew Barker

In hand-me-down costumes,
Captain Hook one year,
Peter Pan the next,
Batmen and Stormtroopers
crunch through the autumn leaves.

We scream trick-or-treat,
pillowcases gaping,
at the boring old adult
who opens his front door
and gives us toothbrushes.

Whining back to the street
we prepare toilet paper
for its final rite
as the late October wind
swirls like witches’ hair.

(Over the past week I’ve done my usual gigs with the old folks where I read some poetry and then we work together to write a poem. This month I did Halloween poetry, of course, and both poems centered on the trick-or-treating of our youth so I’m presenting a mash-up of the two poems. Happy Halloween!)

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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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26 Responses to Ringing Doorbells

  1. DD's avatar DD says:
    2023-10-30 at 20:20

    Toothbrushes as gifts – priceless.

    Liked by 2 people

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  2. Ali Grimshaw's avatar Ali Grimshaw says:
    2023-10-30 at 22:01

    This brings back happy memories of trick-or-treating with my own kids.

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. Michele Lee's avatar Michele Lee says:
    2023-10-31 at 00:18

    Cute note at the end about writing poetry with the old folks. Sounds like a sweet time that yielded some sweet poetry. 🍬 I remember getting toothbrushes, apples, pennies and other things that would never happen today.

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. Cassa Bassa's avatar Cassa Bassa says:
    2023-10-31 at 01:06

    I like how you thread through the famous characters..

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. JeanMarie's avatar JeanMarie says:
    2023-10-31 at 03:44

    Nice work. The kids today are doing trunk-or-treat or schools have events. It’s safer for the kids and easier on the parents and that’s nice, but it’s not like the old days when you had to really work for the candy, up and down multiple streets, past scary dark trees and onto porches of strangers…. Boo

    Liked by 1 person

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  6. berniebell1955's avatar berniebell1955 says:
    2023-10-31 at 04:40

    See ‘Halloween Musings’….

    http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16551

    Mutter mutter mutter…..

    Liked by 1 person

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  7. yourplateormine967244485's avatar yourplateormine967244485 says:
    2023-10-31 at 05:38

    Such great memories, love this! Happy Halloween 🎃

    Liked by 1 person

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  9. Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶's avatar The Sicilian Storyteller says:
    2023-10-31 at 08:19

    Toothbrushes?? They deserve the 🧻 treatment!!

    Liked by 1 person

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  10. Susan Romanenghi's avatar Susan Romanenghi says:
    2023-10-31 at 11:17

    Toothbrushes – sounds intentional.
    One Halloween we doled out boxed raisins for trick or treaters. Forgot to buy candy and tiny boxed raisins was all we had in cabinet. That spring, we discovered the discarded, boxed raisins in our rockery. But no one tee-p’d us.:)

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    • Bartholomew Barker's avatar Bartholomew Barker says:
      2023-10-31 at 17:08

      At least raisins have a high-sugar content. I remember getting those little boxes in my loot bag as a boy and while I gave chocolate the priority, I’d still eat those shriveled grapes.

      And it won’t be long until I pour myself a glass of rotten grapes for the evening.

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