This week let’s write a name poem. JeanMarie forwarded me this video by Auntie Laurel. While it’s designed to teach elementary school kids poetry, she offers an interesting prompt around the 2:45 mark to write a poem with your name as a metaphor. My only extension of the prompt is that it doesn’t have to be your name. You could use anyone’s name, someone you love, someone you hate, just use it in a metaphor and post your poem below.
(This might make an interesting acrostic. Just sayin’.)
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.
Living Poetry 
Lisa was named after a newspaper comics character
but not funny ha ha
more funny paper like
but oh so serious.
Where was I going here?
Oh, yeah
it was the Rex Morgan character
and just like that
Lisa became a name
of many women
in my generation.
Mother was upset
saying it was to be
original for me.
It’s not in the name
mom.
You see I am my own
original me.
Say any name but I only
answer to who I am.
Where’s the metaphor in this?
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | May 25, 2020, 12:20 PMHow interesting. I remember the comic but not the “Lisa” character.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | May 25, 2020, 2:43 PM‘Say my name but I only answer to who I am’ 👍
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Posted by Cassa Bassa | May 26, 2020, 6:48 PMExcellent expansion of the prompt Bart. I love these videos! Thanks for posting. I’m going to have to work on the one for my name but for now, an acrostic:
trash man is
ruining
us.
mash that
pumpkin head!
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Posted by JeanMarie | May 25, 2020, 2:27 PMExcellent! I hoped someone would be “inspired” by that name. (Note to the Secret Service: she’s using the verb “mash” metaphorically.)
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | May 25, 2020, 2:46 PMThis Really Utters My Perspective🎃 well done!
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | May 25, 2020, 5:11 PM😀😂
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Posted by Cassa Bassa | May 26, 2020, 6:37 PMMy name is a slurry of vowels.
My name is blue, green, and black like the ocean.
My name tastes sweet like gelato.
My name crosses the international date line.
My name is time consuming, tragic, and tethers me to history.
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Posted by JeanMarie | May 25, 2020, 2:49 PMLove the slurry of vowels. Great work!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | May 25, 2020, 4:24 PMA great name! Well done.
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | May 25, 2020, 5:08 PMSage
Sweet citrus floats on woody pine
Ageless wisdom abundant and fine
Golden dreams rest in your smile
Elegant green rope dresses up your crown
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Posted by Cassa Bassa | May 26, 2020, 6:36 PMNice!!
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | May 26, 2020, 6:50 PMThank you Lisa!
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Posted by Cassa Bassa | May 26, 2020, 6:58 PMLove it, especially the elegant green rope.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | May 26, 2020, 6:58 PMThank you! 😊
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Posted by Cassa Bassa | May 26, 2020, 6:59 PMWell, I should open my email promptly…
For Joanne
Just as the sun eased below
Offering nothing to the line of control
Announcing this brightly lit act was done
Nightbirds, twittering and acrobatic
Nearly filled the space above us with joy
Echoing the song in my heart for you
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Posted by Chris Clarke | June 10, 2020, 10:33 PMVery nice. Love the nightbirds line.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | June 10, 2020, 10:44 PMH Bartholomew, I’m new to this blogging ‘business’, having written a few acrostic poems I thought you might like this ‘difficult’ one.
Vach of Love that to my Alpha is Omega A
Invoking this old soul of Machiavelli, I
Come and sing your elemental vesper R
To me twice-born cloven hoofed Apollo O
Oracle of Man’s most Mystic Art T
Restore my faith in aphrodisiac C
Instill the earth sworn music of your Psi I
Assail my soul that I might liv V
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Posted by TonyA.......... | August 9, 2020, 1:56 PMVery intricate. Love the various allusions. Thanks for sharing and welcome to the prompts!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | August 9, 2020, 3:00 PM