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.
Butterfly is a halo effect.
The B word lands on one’s lips.
It becomes hope and triumph.
One should take a closer look.
Not all butterflies are born equal
or fly in resurrected freedom.
Some are more splendor in looks.
Some are midiocre at best.
Some are just ugly moths die trying hard.
Butterfly is a spectrum.
Butterfly effect lies in the small details.
I am a Viceroy
leaving milkweeds to Monarchs
See the black line across my wings
A thing about Monarchs
they feed on milkweeds
making them toxic
and perhaps why they are
the king of farts
Is there such a thing as
vegan lactose intolerance?
…
Imagine coming into the world
filled with rage
so intense from your cocoon
intent on surviving
with every beat of your heart
then you become a beautiful butterfly
Living Poetry 
Small Variation
Butterfly is a halo effect.
The B word lands on one’s lips.
It becomes hope and triumph.
One should take a closer look.
Not all butterflies are born equal
or fly in resurrected freedom.
Some are more splendor in looks.
Some are midiocre at best.
Some are just ugly moths die trying hard.
Butterfly is a spectrum.
Butterfly effect lies in the small details.
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Posted by Cassa Bassa | August 7, 2021, 6:53 PMLove the not all butterflies are born equal. Great work!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | August 7, 2021, 7:53 PMThanks Poet!
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Posted by Cassa Bassa | August 7, 2021, 9:22 PMI am a Viceroy
leaving milkweeds to Monarchs
See the black line across my wings
A thing about Monarchs
they feed on milkweeds
making them toxic
and perhaps why they are
the king of farts
Is there such a thing as
vegan lactose intolerance?
…
Imagine coming into the world
filled with rage
so intense from your cocoon
intent on surviving
with every beat of your heart
then you become a beautiful butterfly
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | August 6, 2021, 7:32 PMoooo… Love that last stanza. Brilliant!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | August 6, 2021, 7:36 PMThank you!
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | August 6, 2021, 7:47 PMThat last stanza is actually a stand alone poem. I put the three dots to separate. I am going to look at it some more to see if I need to do more.
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | August 8, 2021, 7:29 PMAh… I wondered what those three dots represented. Still, it’s a great little poem.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | August 8, 2021, 7:33 PMThank you!
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | August 9, 2021, 7:42 AM‘the king of farts’ 😅
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Posted by Cassa Bassa | August 7, 2021, 6:32 PMHail king of bugs
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Posted by Catherine Penafiel | August 8, 2021, 1:31 PMTruth is stranger than fiction! LOL
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Posted by Lisa Tomey | August 8, 2021, 7:27 PMLol
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Posted by Cassa Bassa | August 8, 2021, 11:56 PMA flashing warning
alight in Halloween colors
I taste bad so go away
But to my eyes
that feast only of your reflected glory
you are indeed a splendid feast
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Posted by Chris Clarke | August 4, 2021, 7:40 PMoops… second feast … try treat.
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Posted by Chris Clarke | August 4, 2021, 7:43 PMVery nice. I hadn’t thought of the Halloween connection. Well done.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | August 4, 2021, 8:12 PMMe too, I can see the colour similarity in the picture and the Halloween theme.
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Posted by Cassa Bassa | August 7, 2021, 6:31 PMOh, King of bugs
You reign over distance
May you reign forever more
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Posted by Catherine Penafiel | August 2, 2021, 3:34 PMAll Hail the King of Bugs! Nicely done.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | August 2, 2021, 4:49 PMA Haiku Bart …
“Witty Butterfly”
singing butterfly
decrees, have my wings and fly
join me in the sky
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Posted by ivor20 | August 2, 2021, 7:39 AMI love the image of a butterfly singing. Well done!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | August 2, 2021, 4:48 PMThank you Bart 🦋🎶
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Posted by ivor20 | August 2, 2021, 6:53 PMCheck out Whispers and Echoes. They just put out a call for Butterfly poems.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | August 17, 2021, 8:29 PMThank you Bart … I shall have a look …
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Posted by ivor20 | August 17, 2021, 8:54 PM