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.

Fraiku: On a hike

Posted on 2021/09/17 by Bartholomew Barker

Dark woods under heavy clouds thunderous applause from exhausted leaves drought cracks like lightning

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Squirrels have Personalities

Posted on 2021/09/13 by Bartholomew Barker

Squirrels have Personalities I’ve got no beef with the quiet oneswho go about their squirrely business,turning over brittle brown leavesin search of fatty seeds and nuts. It’s the ruffians and scapegracesin the yard, taunting my cat, Moriarty,with their harsh chitters … Continue reading →

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Fraiku: Thunderstorm

Posted on 2021/09/10 by Bartholomew Barker

Night thunderstorm over the Gulfdistant lightning flashes off high cloudsdisproving a flat earth

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Adaptation

Posted on 2021/09/09 by Bartholomew Barker

A mated pair of White Ibisstride across the Sonic parking lotadapting to the asphalt covered marshfrench fries— their crayfish

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On the Gulf Coast

Posted on 2021/09/08 by Bartholomew Barker

The pelican folds herself into a harpoonto impale the water and erupt from the waveswith a quivering gular pouch

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The Last Pig on Spillwords

Posted on 2021/09/06 by Bartholomew Barker

During the 2020 April Poem-a-Day Challenge, I wrote The Last Pig in response to two prompts: “The Last blank” and “Piggy”. I never expected it to be one of the most viewed poems on my site for the past year! … Continue reading →

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Fraiku: On the Interstate

Posted on 2021/09/03 by Bartholomew Barker

Teenagers play in trafficI almost sacrifice one lambon the altar of social media I’m heading to a week-long writing retreat and something odd happened on the way. I was on I-95 in the middle of South Carolina, nice clear highway … Continue reading →

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Sappho’s Song (2021)

Posted on 2021/08/31 by Bartholomew Barker

Sappho’s Song Sing me no songs of the daylightfor the sun is the enemy of lovers.Sing me instead of shadows and darknessand the memories of midnight. Sing me no songs of domestic brewsfor the lite beers do not intoxicate.Sing me … Continue reading →

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Fraiku: Pebble

Posted on 2021/08/27 by Bartholomew Barker

Each year a pebbleadded to my cairnthe pilgrim carries a scythe This Fraiku for the Living Poetry Prompt. Bonus: my latest poem, A Boy’s Afternoon in Summer, is up at Whispers and Echoes.

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Let’s Pretend

Posted on 2021/08/23 by Bartholomew Barker

Let’s pretendI’m riding in this skullpulling levers pressing pedalsmaking this body obey my will Let’s pretendyour little pilot is looking outthrough those smokey eyeswindows to your flight deck Let’s pretendminds are distinct from bodiesthat this chemistry felt over drinksis more … Continue reading →

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