Confession: A rejection today that is a little more painful than some. A local journal, one that is getting better, getting on without me. It’s tough not to think about numbers, about wins & losses. I don’t follow the World Cup, or even the NBA Finals anymore. But I still capitalize those constructs, as fits the sociology I live in. Yeah, yeah, yeah (here’s the chorus, just to mix in too many metaphors) — I’m getting better in other ways. (The fear: I’ve reached my apex and am starting the slope down of that arc, no matter how short the length or how sharp the curve.)
Confession: A little loneliness.
Confession: Little doesn’t work as an adjective for loneliness. It”s kind of like being a little pregnant. Either you are or you aren’t.
Confession: I want to erase any title of poet as applied to myself and replace that word with reader. Being a good reader is my new aspiration. I thought that thought long before my last rejection, by the way. Reading is what I aspire to. And taking good notes. See what a slippery slope that is? The run up and run down to the apex is slippery.
Confession: Belief in an ultimate point on a line or an arc is like belief in God.
Confession: The theoretical proof of one single point is explainable. God is a spoof.
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Oh dear. Don’t despair. When that happens to me, after it stops smarting I resolve to send them a better poem.
I like this idea. Thanks, Sarah!
Unsolicited advice: don’t worry about the existence of arcs or points, they’re all bogus. Just keep moving and don’t worry about where you are. I only say this because I’ve been there too. (o)
I welcome, it Beth. Thank you. (o) Back.
so, even your confessions read like a poem. i say focus on reading and you won’t be able to stop yourself from writing. and i really like the idea of submitting something more to this journal later. who knows exactly what the editor was thinking when s/he declined your piece.
of course, rejections suck no matter the reason. but your cheering section hopes you’ll keep on with the writing & submitting. :)
Thank you for the encouragement. :-) Hugs!!
I like to try to think in terms of sine waves. Lots of apexes with more to come. Sorry about the disappointment of rejection, but in that if nothing else, none of us who send stuff out is alone, I guess.
I like your sine waves.
i’m seeing poems in everyone else’s words besides my own. here’s yours: Belief in an ultimate point on a line or an arc is like belief in God.
ready, set, go!
:-)
I love it when you feed me lines.
There is something peculiarly discouraging about being rejected by a publication that published you before. Not really rational, but none of this stuff is :-)
That’s kind of you. But the journal is growing, so they are getting more & better stuff. Mine just didn’t work this time, so I’ll have to bring my very best out next year.