Trumped-On

There is a new phenomenon in our house – the Daily Trump.

It starts with receiving the latest mad political news, at home or abroad, and that is how I start my day… a Daily Trump and a coffee to wash it down cos it always gets stuck in my throat.

My nearest and dearest think that I am a protest poet, and it’s true that I write protest poetry – breast ironing, enforced wearing of the veil, injustices old and new – but I find that’s the best way to counter those things that I personally cannot change.

Luckily, I tend to see beauty in the most peculiar places – a mermaid swimming into a mackerel sky, or other escapist fantasies but really…. this is surely a time of not learning from history and forgetting our humanity.

So, for all the Trumped-Up stuff

Trumpeted about by the huf-

fing-and-puffing types, my

Trump Card

is

a brick house built

of unshakable stuff

beliefs in a better World.

And while

the trumpeters

trumpet their trash, I’ll scratch

my disquiet and my disgust

pen-tattooing

white paper with black ink

black paper with white ink

and shut out their Trumpeted stink

till I can think above their din...

and the world’s enlightened again.

This Dark Lanterns Gall

So pleased to see my poem This Dark Lanterns Gall published by the Fem Literary Magazine. It is an erasure poem inspired by the Metaphysical poet Katherine Philips and reacts to the exclusion of female poets from the Penguin compilation The Metaphysical Poets - using the list of titles from a single page representing those that were included.
A huge 'thank you' to Autumn Spriggs for the inclusion.

https://thefemlitmag.com/poem-by-karen-barton-be19e76fb754#.wfik8e2yl

Light on the Frosty Horizon.

Perhaps there's light on the somewhat frosty horizon.

I’m taking one of many breaks from my essay writing – there are times when my whole mind and body say ‘NO!’ and sadly, today is one of them. I'm struggling to get my head out of recent events and into the world of dissecting survey plans from the 1700's. I bet you're more sympathetic having heard that aren't you?

So, the latest excuse is to post this message about a found poem I have had published by ‘Thank You For Swallowing’. It is a found poem using Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night to make a point about how far female roles have not come. Don’t let that put you off though… I hate suppression wherever it rocks up.

https://thankyouforswallowing.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/fuck2016.pdf

Bereavement and Care Guides

I haven't been blogging for a while due to caring for a terminally ill family member so today, while a plumber plunges me into the chill of winter and drains my central heating system I shall dip my toe in the world of writing again.

While I was otherwise occupied lots of my poetry has been published, which felt a little at odds with what was going on around me but took away some of the stresses of not being able to write or even continue with my degree course.

I'm very proud of a found poem published at The Curly Mind entitled 'Care Guide' dedicated to all my wonderful male friends.
You can find the poem at: https://thecurlymindblog.wordpress.com/2016/11/06/care-guide-by-karen-barton/

The Vengeance of Artemisia Gentileschi

      Happy Halloween Folks!

I've been lucky to have had my poem 'The Vengeance of Artemisia Gentileschi' published by Wicked Banshee in the
Defining Magic' issue - and my artwork is featured on the cover!
Wowzer!

http://www.wickedbansheepress.com 

Unlost - Found Poem for Rotherham Girls Published

Unlost - that great site for found poetry has printed a little found poem of mine. The poem is for all those female voices that aren't heard but most especially this week for the Rotherham girls and their lost childhoods.

http://unlostjournal.com/talking-with-a-mouth-full-of-stars/

Saltaire Haiku

Under the grey sky 

pencil-line trees bled ink spots

I walked on rainbows