I dream of harsh lights
like a hospital
and I’m paralyzed
I’m so happy
I can’t move
I can’t write
I can’t do anything
more for this gone mad world
no more marches
no more speeches
no more sacrifice
I can finally relax
stop breathing
enjoy the final silence
but a door slams
I jerk awake
scowl at the bright window
and trudge back
to the struggle
Bartholomew Barker is one of the organizers of Living Poetry, a collection of poets and poetry readers in the Triangle region of North Carolina. 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.
Born and raised in Ohio, studied in Chicago, he worked in Connecticut for nearly twenty years before moving to Hillsborough where he makes money as a computer programmer to fund his poetry habit. You can read more of his writing at Bartholomew Barker, Poet
Reblogged this on cabbagesandkings524 and commented:
Bartholomew Barker – A brief respite from the mad world
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Thanks for posting my poem!
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My pleasure! Thank you for taking me up on my prompt.
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Interesting twist. Writing for the world must go on!
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Great writing. Love the poem although I have to say being paralyzed is one of my biggest fears. Happy Halloween from a fellow North Carolina writer. Hugs 🤗 Joni
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