If you want to get on my good side

Posted on 2025-08-26 by Bartholomew Barker

Don’t bring me chocolate
milky smooth and rich
to coat my tongue

Don’t bring me ice cream
with a frosty spoon
in a strawberry sundae

Don’t bring me a pie
whose crust crumbles
over blueberried fingers

Bring me potato chips
salt and vinegar
laced with caramel

Because I can only stand
so much sweetness

(Another collaboration with my friends at Mebane Ridge after reading dessert poetry.)

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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 If you want to get on my good side

  1. trE's avatar trE says:
    2025-08-26 at 20:17

    I read this while eating sour cream & onion chips.

    A perfect evening reprieve.

    Liked by 2 people

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  2. Milena Alien's avatar Milena Alien says:
    2025-08-26 at 20:55

    Bring me fried potatoes with pickled tomatoes, nothing will make me happier

    Liked by 2 people

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  3. Stef's avatar Stefan says:
    2025-08-26 at 23:00

    That was a fun one, great imagery!

    Liked by 2 people

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  4. Michele Lee's avatar Michele Lee says:
    2025-08-26 at 23:36

    Love S & V chips. With caramel would be a sweet twist. A fun collaboration and I agree with the last two lines. 👍🏻

    Liked by 2 people

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  5. berniebell1955's avatar berniebell1955 says:
    2025-08-27 at 03:19

    Nice one Bart – will go in m’blog. Echoes of Friend Wendy’s poem….. https://theorkneynews.scot/2020/07/21/poetry-corner-small-things-by-wendy-alford/

    Liked by 1 person

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  6. poetisatinta's avatar poetisatinta says:
    2025-08-27 at 08:20

    I like how you capture this surprising craving, not just for taste, but for complexity, resisting sweetness in favour of conflict and balance, a vivid, sensory-rich poem Bart 🙌

    Liked by 2 people

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  8. magickmermaid's avatar magickmermaid says:
    2025-08-27 at 12:06

    I’ll take the ice cream! :)

    Liked by 2 people

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  9. thelongview's avatar thelongview says:
    2025-08-29 at 11:12

    Delicious post!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  10. Chuckster's avatar Chuckster says:
    2025-08-31 at 10:41

    Honestly, would you actually turn down sweets if a friendly neighbor brought them to your door? 🏄‍♂️

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. Susi Bocks's avatar Susi Bocks says:
    2025-09-03 at 15:58

    lol No, bring me all the these things! :)

    Liked by 1 person

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