A couple of Sundays ago, Living Poetry held a Germination Workshop, hosted by our founder Angelika. In these workshops we present a series of prompts, write for about five minutes to each and then share what we wrote, if we feel so moved. If you’d like to get involved in the next one, we hold them quarterly over Zoom. Sign up for Living Poetry to be notified.
So, this week I’m stealing one of Angelika’s prompts. Let’s write an “under the cushions” poem. Tell us what you find there and post your poem 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 
Beneath a Futon Cushion
Under my luxurious woollen cushion
Lies an old copy of the Australian Bulletin
Also from Great-grand-dad’s mystical Galleon
There’s a hand woven chiffon for his spanish woman …
LikeLiked by 5 people
Posted by ivor20 | August 11, 2025, 8:34 AMA poem that raises more questions than it answers. Love it! Thanks for sharing, Ivor.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by Bartholomew Barker | August 11, 2025, 8:12 PMMy absolute pleasure, Bart .. I think it’s mostly’ fictional?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by ivor20 | August 11, 2025, 10:35 PMGreat prompt! https://poetisatinta.wordpress.com/2025/08/12/poetry-prompt-what-lies-beneath/
LikeLiked by 2 people
Posted by poetisatinta | August 12, 2025, 9:32 AMGreat use of the prompt! I’ll recommend the movie Midnight in Paris to you, assuming the poet is the voice of the poem and a fellow Francophile.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by Bartholomew Barker | August 12, 2025, 11:52 AMYes I am – I have seen it Owen Wilson is in it isn’t he – it’s very funny
LikeLiked by 1 person
Posted by poetisatinta | August 12, 2025, 12:09 PM