Chiropteran Sonnet

Posted on 2024-10-31 by Bartholomew Barker

A cauldron of bats swirls above my house.
Entranced, I watch them circle and spin,
one dives so close, my hair quivers
as the air erupts from its thin wings.

The swarm mistakes me for a juicy mosquito
and I feel warm fur brush my scalp and a pinch
on the neck followed by flush. I close my eyes
to savor the rising like a harvest moon.

Echoes of chirps and clicks fill my ears
with a map and the wind lifts me higher
as I trace epicycles over the unforgiving
land and sharp geometries of man.

Here’s a chimney, still warm from the day.
My new muscles tire. Think I’ll hang here.

 

(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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18 Responses to Chiropteran Sonnet

  1. Cassa Bassa's avatar Cassa Bassa says:
    2024-10-31 at 17:23

    That’s something to watch and experience. The sound and how on time they are everyday to travel the journey.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  2. Laura's avatar Laura says:
    2024-10-31 at 18:33

    Happy Halloween! 🦇 🌑 👻 🎃

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. berniebell1955's avatar berniebell1955 says:
    2024-11-01 at 04:34

    THIS IS MOST EXCELLENT! Going in m’blog.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. johnlmalone's avatar johnlmalone says:
    2024-11-01 at 17:48

    terrific poem !

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. JeanMarie's avatar JeanMarie says:
    2024-11-02 at 01:26

    good poem. and educational.

    chiropteran : Greek “hand wing” (“chiro” + “ptera”)

    cool

    Liked by 1 person

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