For this fifth Monday in September, let’s write a poem to a little music. Listen to this three minute piano piece. Normally, I ask you not to do any research into the composition but, in this case, please do. The music is meant to influence you and others then post your poem in the comments below.
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.
He plays on ice, not thinking gloves can quell his arctic chill. He thinks some safety straps will keep him from a watery grave. His call to action, save the icebergs, might be inspired. I fear this crazy stunt might be his last.
An elegy for a lake An elegy for a town An elegy for a hillbilly An elegy for a nation
Oh… this will take a while…
After these mountains are worn down to the sea After this planet is burned back to dust After the last star dies After the last proton decays After this poet stands back and let’s it all be
Oh inverted image, my sweet gossamer so beautiful, so deformed take my withered hand show me, lead me, let me take back the smallest part
Living Poetry 
Frozen Insanity
He plays on ice,
not thinking
gloves can quell
his arctic chill.
He thinks some safety
straps will keep him
from a watery grave.
His call to action,
save the icebergs,
might be inspired.
I fear this crazy stunt
might be his last.
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Posted by crazy4yarn2 | September 30, 2024, 3:33 PMHa! Sometimes artists/performers have to take risks to get the audience’s attention. I’m more impressed that he wasn’t wearing a hat!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | September 30, 2024, 7:16 PMDarn, I didn’t notice he wasn’t wearing a hat! I was too shocked that he would let his fingers freeze.
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Posted by crazy4yarn2 | October 1, 2024, 10:39 AMalright, this is absolute drivel, but here goes…
Maggie Smith died
and the Arctic will too
only the latter could
have been prevented
human hubris leads
us to believe otherwise
because it’s convenient
what of our grandkids
our kids
these hurricanes and heat waves
who answers for that
corporations? countries?
Japanese whalers?
where are the lifesavers
21st century climate crusaders
Greta, Goodall, Greenpeace
how many G’s do we need
to save a seal
or snowy ice cap
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Posted by Angela | September 30, 2024, 9:36 PMStrong disagree on your assessment. This is a fine result of the prompt. I especially liked the first four lines. Very well done!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | September 30, 2024, 10:42 PMOh… this might take a while…
thanks for the prompt.
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Posted by Chris Clarke | October 1, 2024, 6:09 PMAn elegy for the Arctic?
oh… this might take a while
An elegy for a lake
An elegy for a town
An elegy for a hillbilly
An elegy for a nation
Oh… this will take a while…
After these mountains are worn down to the sea
After this planet is burned back to dust
After the last star dies
After the last proton decays
After this poet stands back and let’s it all be
Oh inverted image, my sweet gossamer
so beautiful, so deformed
take my withered hand
show me, lead me, let me
take back the smallest part
An elegy for creation?
No
A song of creation
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Posted by Chris Clarke | October 2, 2024, 1:22 PMLovely and epic in scope. Thanks for sharing, Chris!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | October 2, 2024, 5:11 PM