Working on the Solstice

Posted on 2024-12-21 by Bartholomew Barker

The sun logged off early this afternoon,
shutdown and packed up his desk for the year
and I’m fine with that. I get more done
when the bosses are out of the office.

Venus stops by my cube to flirt
on her way out. I enjoy the attention
but know not to take her seriously
with Mars always lurking about.

The parking lot empties. I’m the last—
so I silence the fluorescents’ hum,
lock the doors and sigh a cloud
of relief beneath a waning moon.

The world is winding down, fat
enough to make it through winter.

 

(Scheduled to post at the moment of the December Solstice. Happy Summer to friends on the other side of the equator. Happy Winter to my fellow Northern Hemispherians.)

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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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34 Responses to Working on the Solstice

  1. luisa zambrotta's avatar luisa zambrotta says:
    2024-12-21 at 04:30

    Great poem!

    Happy winter Solstice 💫❣️💫

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  2. berniebell1955's avatar berniebell1955 says:
    2024-12-21 at 04:58

    Solstice Greetings!

    http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=17136

    As friend Pete said …’The nights are drawing out’.

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. trE's avatar trE says:
    2024-12-21 at 05:19

    Winter is finally here! Happy Solstice!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  4. satyam rastogi's avatar satyam rastogi says:
    2024-12-21 at 05:26

    Merry Christmas 🎅

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. ivor20's avatar ivor20 says:
    2024-12-21 at 05:38

    Just another ordinary day at the office, but somehow the unnoticed occurrence turns into a long dark transference …

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. iamthesunking's avatar iamthesunking says:
    2024-12-21 at 08:51

    Lovely poem and stunning photo! I’d never have thought an urban photo would work as a marker of the winter solstice, but it really does! Happy Yule to you.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  7. magickmermaid's avatar magickmermaid says:
    2024-12-21 at 10:45

    Happy Winter Solstice and Happy New Year!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  8. Priti's avatar Priti says:
    2024-12-22 at 00:10

    Beautiful poem! Winter ❄️ makes us enter home early as possible

    Liked by 1 person

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  9. JeanMarie's avatar JeanMarie says:
    2024-12-22 at 02:12

    Charming!🎄

    Liked by 1 person

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  10. Michele Lee's avatar Michele Lee says:
    2024-12-22 at 09:56

    Really enjoyed the metaphors you created, and the last line is excellent! Happy Holidays, poet Bart.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  11. Munaeem Jamal's avatar Munaeem Jamal says:
    2024-12-22 at 21:34

    I love the playful tone of this post! It is a nice touch to think of the sun as an employee who is leaving for the holidays.

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. Dawn Pisturino's avatar Dawn Pisturino says:
    2025-01-16 at 11:54

    I love this clever poem!

    Liked by 1 person

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