This week let’s write an excuse poem. Whether justifying your own poor choices or attempting to explain the actions of another, describe the extenuating circumstances and mitigating evidence, real or hypothesized, anything to shift the blame. You have no excuse for not posting a 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 
Look what you made me do?!
Woke up late! You wouldn’t let me sleep.
Talk, talk, talk all night long.
Look what you made me do!
I jumped to the ceiling, spilling coffee on my favorite shirt.
What’s got you in such a great mood?
Look what you made me do!
Men don’t hum.
What is wrong with you?
Look what you made me do!
If you would’ve have just let me sleep last night;
I wouldn’t be late nor stuck in traffic, cussing my brains out.
Look what you made me do!
Forgot my lunch. Snapped at my boss.
Have to stop on the way home for gas.
Look what you made me do?
What’s for dinner?
Ever screaming child from 40 counties was at the grocery.
Look what you made me do!
You know what?
Screw it!
Look what you made me do!
I’m going to bed!
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Posted by Chico’s Mom | September 8, 2025, 8:40 AMVery cute, Jolene!
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Posted by crazy4yarn2 | September 8, 2025, 12:28 PMThank you 💕
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Posted by Chico’s Mom | September 8, 2025, 1:24 PMAlas, just another day in the life. Thanks for sharing, Jolene!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | September 8, 2025, 7:24 PMThank you 💕
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Posted by Chico’s Mom | September 9, 2025, 6:50 AMI’m One Poor Excuse
The wheels self-unscrew
from my old rolling laundry bag.
The wheels hide, my laundry stinks.
But light bulbs died, I cannot do a thing.
Today is better for my health
to pet the purring cat.
But she’s been missing for a week.
I don’t have time to find her.
I need to find that dirty fork
before the ants get to it.
But I just brewed a cup of joe.
I have more forks to eat with.
I love to make excuses
for my useless, broken life.
It takes more time than
tackling all the things I need to fix.
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Posted by crazy4yarn2 | September 8, 2025, 12:31 PMNice work, Nolcha! I especially liked the dirty fork bit. Thanks for sharing!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | September 8, 2025, 7:30 PMThank you so much! And thanks for putting up with my silliness.
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Posted by crazy4yarn2 | September 9, 2025, 9:41 PMoriole must flysouth for the ice cold winteroranges… no excuse
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Posted by Chris Clarke | September 8, 2025, 9:27 PMdon’t know what happened to the linebreaks…
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Posted by Chris Clarke | September 8, 2025, 9:28 PMWe can infer the line breaks.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | September 8, 2025, 9:51 PMA lovely little haiku. Thanks for sharing, Chris!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | September 8, 2025, 9:50 PMI threw out the
leftover Indian takeout
one bone, greasy sauce
after ripening in the fridge
sorry/not sorry my dear
take away my birthday
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Posted by Second Act Blogger | September 8, 2025, 10:07 PMGreat use of “ripening”. Welcome back to the prompt, Cathy!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | September 8, 2025, 10:33 PMGlad to be back
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Posted by Second Act Blogger | September 8, 2025, 10:43 PMA great prompt 🙌https://poetisatinta.wordpress.com/2025/09/09/a-sorry-sky/
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Posted by poetisatinta | September 9, 2025, 7:56 AMThank you for the great poem, Ange!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | September 9, 2025, 7:13 PMHope this is acceptable
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Posted by pensitivity101 | September 9, 2025, 5:06 PMWhile I prefer my prompts to spawn new poetry, any poem is acceptable. Thanks for sharing!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | September 9, 2025, 7:23 PMThanks!
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Posted by pensitivity101 | September 10, 2025, 6:53 AMOH
Oh, your guy won.
Oh, so you voted this time around.
Oh, you just got over COVID.
I am sorry to hear it.
Oh, you didn’t get the vaccine.
Oh, you can’t find anyone to clean your house.
Oh, you can’t do it because your back hurts.
I am sorry you can’t afford the doctor because you lost your health insurance.
Oh, you can’t afford a $5.00 coffee today.
I am sorry that you lost your job.Water is healthier anyway.
Oh, you had to walk here because the car part you need is too expensive now.
No wonder it took you so long to arrive.
Oh, you blame the other side.
Who did you vote for again?
Oh, what do I think?
THAT STUPIDITY IS NO EXCUSE.
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Posted by Tina Opines | September 9, 2025, 8:07 PMHa! Well expressed. Thanks for sharing, Tina!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | September 9, 2025, 8:21 PMhttps://judydykstrabrown.com/2025/09/09/the-excuse-for-monday-poetry-prompt-sept-10-2025/
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Posted by lifelessons | September 9, 2025, 9:00 PMExcellent work. Thanks for sharing, Judy!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | September 9, 2025, 9:17 PMThanks,Bartholomew
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Posted by lifelessons | September 10, 2025, 12:10 AMooo, thought-provoking prompt for sure, might have to take this up…🤔
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Posted by Virsus | September 18, 2025, 12:08 AMI’m eager to read your results.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | September 18, 2025, 5:10 PMReally liked this one Bart. Well done
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Posted by Second Act Blogger | September 8, 2025, 10:09 PMThanks!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | September 8, 2025, 10:33 PM