Author Archives: Bartholomew Barker

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. 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.

Feathers at Spillwords

Posted on 2022/05/18 by Bartholomew Barker

I’m pleased to announce that an old poem of mine was just published on Spillwords. It’s called Feathers and that’s the only place you’ll find it so give it some love.

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

How to Create a Killer

Posted on 2022/05/16 by Bartholomew Barker

How to Create a Killer It’s easysubtract kindnessadd grievanceleave a trail of bloodin the television spotlightred as maple leavesin autumn

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

Fraiku: Supreme Court

Posted on 2022/05/13 by Bartholomew Barker

How many maidensmust we sacrificeto satisfy your dogma?

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Things Fall Apart by Bartholomew Barker

Posted on 2022/05/11 by Bartholomew Barker

Originally posted on North of Oxford:
Things Fall Apart . I’d rather watch the vanities of man sag and collapse under the weight of years than to spend my weekends trimming hedges, touching up paint or soothing hinges with an…

Posted in Ephemera | 27 Comments

Walking in the Woods

Posted on 2022/05/09 by Bartholomew Barker

Walking in the Woods My peace was accostedfrom a nearby roadby the invasive racketof an impromptu drag racebetween two carswith self esteem problems Can trees be jerks toostinking up their foreststripping their neighbors’ rootsthe meek pinned and punishedjust for stretchingto … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , | 15 Comments

Fraiku: Barefoot

Posted on 2022/05/06 by Bartholomew Barker

I love walking barefooton freshly cut glassmy blood— the morning dew

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , | 15 Comments

A Droid’s Lament

Posted on 2022/05/04 by Bartholomew Barker

Happy May the Fourth! A Droid’s Lament They wiped my annoying friend’s memoryso I don’t tell him what I knowthat I can see the plot unfoldingthe minor roles we must play If my manufacturer had installeda voice interface I’d spoil … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Past Time to Move On

Posted on 2022/04/30 by Bartholomew Barker

For today’s prompt, write a moving on poem. Past Time to Move On There were men walking on the moonwhen I was a boy with my telescopein the backyard looking for planets Watching Star Trek after schoolI figured that by … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , , | 16 Comments

The Last Provocation

Posted on 2022/04/29 by Bartholomew Barker

For today’s prompt, write a The Last Blank poem.Write a poem in exactly 62 words using the word “Provocative”. The Last Provocation They say the best wayto stop being bulliedis to punch him in the nose. They say to give … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

What I’ll Miss When I’m Blind

Posted on 2022/04/28 by Bartholomew Barker

For today’s prompt, write a sight poem. What I’ll Miss When I’m Blind Sure I’ll miss the night skyand that scrunched-up faceyou make between the vodkaand Mountain Dew teaser But I’ll still be able to hear you singthe taste of … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments