This week let’s write a poem with the words determine, state and turtle in it. This is another of those prompts where I randomly choose three words from a list of the top 1000 words in the English language plus a few of my favorites. Post your poems in the comments below.
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 
In the calm lagoon,
A turtle swims with purpose,
Determined and sure,
In its tranquil, steady state,
Guided by nature’s hand.
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Posted by Fay Ann Swearing | March 18, 2024, 7:38 AMLovely and delicate. Well done, Fay Ann!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | March 18, 2024, 8:26 PMThank you 😊
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Posted by Fay Ann Swearing | March 18, 2024, 8:40 PMSo Sorry
The turtle is confused by Spring.
He’s in such a sorry state.
He can’t determine if he should
put out patio furniture
or insulate his shell.
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Posted by crazy4yarn2 | March 18, 2024, 9:03 AMHa! It must be awful to never leave home. Thanks for sharing Nolcha!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | March 18, 2024, 8:29 PMA permanent life in an RV can be difficult at times. Thanks, Bartholomew!
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Posted by crazy4yarn2 | March 18, 2024, 9:21 PMLikeLiked by 2 people
Posted by Haze | March 18, 2024, 12:12 PMThere once was a man in a trance,
Trying hard to determine his stance.
Surrounded by walls,
And echoing halls,
He felt like a turtle in a dance.
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Posted by Fay Ann Swearing | March 18, 2024, 1:37 PMNB: Please discard the previous post, it didn’t capture all three words.
There once was a man in a state,
Whose intentions were hard to relate.
He stood tall and firm,
In his own determined term,
Like a turtle, he moved with no haste.
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Posted by Fay Ann Swearing | March 18, 2024, 1:42 PMWhile both limericks were amusing, this one has the three required words. Well done!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | March 18, 2024, 8:42 PMVery nice and the turtle gets there in the end. Thanks for sharing!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | March 18, 2024, 8:40 PMIndeed it does! Thank you very much for the prompt.
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Posted by Haze | March 19, 2024, 9:29 PMGood job. Thanks for sharing, Melissa!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | March 18, 2024, 8:48 PMLove it! Thanks for sharing!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | March 18, 2024, 10:37 PM