Some poets take the reader by the hand
and guide them through the forest.
Some poets blaze a well-marked trail
but leave the reader to walk alone.
Some poets climb the high branches
and throw acorns at their readers.
And some poets hide among the ancient
trunks, like Bigfoot, barely glimpsed
between the words.
Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a poem in which the speaker is identified with, or compared to, a character from myth or legend.
Thus concludes the 2024 edition of the April Poem-A-Day Challenge.
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. 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 makes money as a computer programmer to fund his poetry habit.
Bartholomew Barker, Poet 
Fun use of the prompt. I think you look much better than Bigfoot, which is where I first thought you were going with the poem.
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Thanks, Pat! I’m much smaller than Bigfoot and not quite as hairy.
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Always good to know. I bet your hygiene is also better.
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You’ll have to confer with my exes.
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Some beat around the bush.
Nice one Bart.
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Indeed! Thanks, DD!
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Love this Bartholomew and so true!! ☺️
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Thank you so much, Gypsie! Happy End of National Poetry Month!
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I like the inventive way you tackled the prompt and especially that banger of the Bigfoot stanza: I felt a frisson reading this — and that’s what I want to feel when I’m reading a poem or hearing a song —
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Wow. A visceral reaction. Thanks for letting me know!
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“Some poets climb the high branches
and throw acorns at their readers.” 😂
That is brilliant. I don’t know why, but I really relate to this line.
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🤣
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That was the part of the poem that caught my eye as well. I’m not great with poetry, either writing it or reading it, but I do find my responses can be different from the feeling it speaks to me, to the not connecting to it, to the liking it but not sure why.
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Sometimes the “why” you like something doesn’t matter and sometimes the “why” only becomes apparent later. I’m glad it caught your eye!
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Merci, Didier! I’m glad you can relate. I know I’ve read plenty of poems where it felt like the poet was just trying to annoy me.
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I think that sometime I might be writing with a kind of mischievous spirit that resemble that. Although, I aim to find an accomplice in the reader razor than to annoy… 🤷♂️ But half of the poem is created by the reader, or so I’d like to think…
have a great day.🙏
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Full agreement there. I’d say more than half of poem arises in the reader’s mind.
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That’s very very very good. Excellent!
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Thank you, CB!
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So fun! Love this!
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Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
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Hahaha – true, and hilarious!
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Thanks, Mary! Glad it made you laugh.
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a great way to close out April
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Thank you, Lisa! Yeah, I think this one is a keeper.
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I agree
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Ain’t that the truth – Bless ’em all!
A perfect poem to finish your poem-a-day.
A poem a day – and a Poet for every occasion/mood!
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Thank you so much for reading, Bernie!
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I always read them – don’t always re-post – but do always read.
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In fact – I have just posted this one on m’blog…. http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16818
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Thanks for the reposting this one, Bernie!
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:D Brilliant!
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Thank you so much, Ms. Mermaid!
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I love them all! They all made me smile. 😊 The one that throws acorns made me laugh. 😄
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Glad that one produced a laugh. Thanks, MM!
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Now I am wondering what kind of poet I am?
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The good news is, You get to choose.
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