Fraiku: The Edmonson Sisters

Posted on 2022/07/01 by Bartholomew Barker

Bondage is the irritant
Freedom the Pearl worth the risk
of being sold south

Inspired by the sculpture (pictured above) found while wandering around Alexandria, Virginia.

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Brevity, with apologies to William Shakespeare

Posted on 2022/06/29 by Bartholomew Barker

Brevity

It’s the soul of wit
or a bowl of spit
can’t remember

(for Sammi Cox’s Weekend Writing Prompt, “Brevity” in 12 words.)

If you missed this past Sunday’s FUMFA Poets & Writers Live, you can still watch it on YouTube. I was honored to appear with four of my fellow Living Poets and I think we did a pretty good job.

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A Woman’s Place is in the Kitchen

Posted on 2022/06/27 by Bartholomew Barker

I wouldn’t dare say that to your face
but I am talking to you:
all the women I’ve objectified,
all the women I’ve ignored,
all the women I’ve interrupted,
all the women I’ve discounted,
all the women I’ve paid less
yet expected more.

A woman’s place is in the kitchen
so you know how to turn up the heat.
Remember, you’re the majority.
So get out there in the streets!

Don’t let my fellow men win.

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

Fraiku: Repeal Theocracy!

Posted on 2022/06/24 by Bartholomew Barker

They don’t care about you,
your beliefs, your body.
How will you vote?

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , , | 22 Comments

FUMFA Poets & Writers Live

Posted on 2022/06/23 by Bartholomew Barker

Sunday night I’ll be reading poetry with four of my fellow North Carolina Living Poets as part of the Fairfield University MFA Poets and Writers Live program. We’ll doing doing this online so join us on any of the following channels.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fumfalive
YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCHLHx6Q6zh3NYYHG2Ps7kLg
Twitter: https://twitter.com/fumfa_live

We go live at 8pm EDT Sunday, that’s 0000UT Monday.

In other business, this is your last change to submit a Sorta-Sonnet to Whispers & Echoes.

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A Southern Farmers Market at Poetry X Hunger

Posted on 2022/06/21 by Bartholomew Barker

While I knew Edge of Humanity would be publishing yesterday’s poem, this one was a surprise. My poem A Southern Farmers Market was just posted to the Poetry X Hunger site.

This poem was first published at the Dead Mule School for Southern Literature over ten years ago then last year I saw the World Food Day Special Call for Poems from North American Poets and since they were accepting previously published work…

And, if you’d like to hear me read it aloud, just click that Download File link above the text of my poem.

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World Without Consequences at Edge of Humanity Magazine

Posted on 2022/06/20 by Bartholomew Barker

I am again honored to have a poem featured at Edge of Humanity Magazine. It’s called World Without Consequences and while I wrote it years ago, it’s just as relevant today.

In other news, the e-book version of the Social Justice Inks anthology is currently on sale at Lulu. Here’s a chance to read the full anthology for 99 cents. You can’t afford not to buy!

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Fraiku for the Sunset

Posted on 2022/06/17 by Bartholomew Barker

Day stretches out like a desert
too long — too long
sun grinding me down

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , | 22 Comments

She’s A Jealous Muse at Edge of Humanity Magazine

Posted on 2022/06/13 by Bartholomew Barker

I’m very proud to announce that my poem She’s A Jealous Muse has been posted to the Edge of Humanity Magazine website. Check it out! This is the only place you’ll be able to read it. And browser through the rest of their site. They always post the most interesting stuff.

Thanks, Joelcy!

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , | 26 Comments

Fraiku: Uninspired

Posted on 2022/06/10 by Bartholomew Barker

All my ideas are lost
wandering this wasteland
I call a mind

(Don’t forget about that call for sorta-sonnets over at Whispers & Echoes.)

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments