This week, let’s write an obsequious poem. This is one of my favorite words and doesn’t get enough use so let’s change that! Think United States Cabinet meeting for the last year or so where all the Secretaries of Whatever heap their praise and admiration for our Dear Leader but don’t write that poem. The poem itself can be obsequious to something or someone or it could describe somebody being obsequious. Whatever you choose, lay it on thick 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 
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A Haiku Poem for Spring – *Prompt Word : Obsequious
The spring dance begins
Tall obsequious flowers
Bow to bumble bees
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Posted by brightstardancing | March 23, 2026, 10:25 AMLovely! Now I’m imagining about the bees and flowers in a courtly dance. Thanks for sharing.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | March 23, 2026, 7:16 PMHe polished the floor with his knees
When often wanting to please
Too close he started to sneeze
Perfumed pomp caused a wheeze
Now the sycophant’s actions freed
Pomp’s reaction, only, “geez”.
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Posted by rugby843 | March 23, 2026, 12:32 PMHa! Nice one. If only all sycophants got that reaction. Thanks for sharing!
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | March 23, 2026, 7:18 PMGreat prompt Bart 🩷 https://poetisatinta.wordpress.com/2026/03/24/obsequious-poetry/
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Posted by poetisatinta | March 24, 2026, 1:04 PMGreat response to my prompt, Ange! Thanks for sharing.
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Posted by Bartholomew Barker | March 24, 2026, 8:46 PMThank you 🩷
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Posted by poetisatinta | March 25, 2026, 2:34 AM