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.
It’s only my job
Five weeks a year
From velvet and ermine
To cheap polyester
For years
The foe of Legion
Slogging it out in muck and mire
in brackish ice water of New York
Half drenched
Half defeated
Half dead
Fully committed to the small part I play
To bring the sun back
and keep the hope alive
to be in the presence joy
Across the layers of our inhumanity
Through my cynical eyes
In the face of one who waits
For velvet and ermine
Or even polyester
Living Poetry 
Hot Santa comes in with the tide
Need a towel? Take mine.
Leave the gifts under the umbrella.
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Posted by JeanMarie | December 8, 2021, 2:21 AMExcellent! I’m dreaming of a beach Christmas.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | December 8, 2021, 6:18 PMSo I’m a little early this week. Image was just too delicious to wait.
Santas on holiday
Silly, soggy Santas
Squishing sand between their toes
Splashing salty waves
Sashaying with the currants
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Posted by Second Act Blogger | December 7, 2021, 7:23 PMSublime! Thanks for the alliterative sharing.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | December 7, 2021, 8:36 PMI love this! It’s super!
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Posted by JeanMarie | December 8, 2021, 2:16 AMIt’s only my job
Five weeks a year
From velvet and ermine
To cheap polyester
For years
The foe of Legion
Slogging it out in muck and mire
in brackish ice water of New York
Half drenched
Half defeated
Half dead
Fully committed to the small part I play
To bring the sun back
and keep the hope alive
to be in the presence joy
Across the layers of our inhumanity
Through my cynical eyes
In the face of one who waits
For velvet and ermine
Or even polyester
LikeLiked by 2 people
Posted by Chris Clarke | December 6, 2021, 1:43 PMLet’s tie this week and last week together!
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Posted by Chris Clarke | December 6, 2021, 1:44 PMIndeed!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | December 6, 2021, 7:16 PMExcellent! Love the allusion to the solstice you threw in there.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | December 6, 2021, 7:16 PMRefugees from Arctic Warming…
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Posted by ts19page | December 6, 2021, 9:33 AMHa! I was thinking of a similar caption but didn’t want to unduly influence the poetry.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | December 6, 2021, 7:14 PM“And so it was, Tim Burton called all of the zombie Santa’s forth from their resting places. It had begun!”
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Posted by Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher-Ferris | December 6, 2021, 8:59 AMCthulhu can’t be far behind!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | December 6, 2021, 7:13 PMI fear Cthulhu is much more frightening and ever so much more horrific a nightmare than “Nightmare…” 😉
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Posted by Ami (Gypsie) Offenbacher-Ferris | December 7, 2021, 8:04 PMHa! Love this image and caption!
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Posted by Jewish Young Professional "JYP" | December 6, 2021, 7:24 AMHope it inspires something poetic.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | December 6, 2021, 7:11 PM