Written by m ennenbach

submit

i’ve submitted my poetry to a few different publications
each and everyone so far has rejected me
i submitted my short stories once
and they sent me a contract
i believe the issue i have to face is this
i am not a poet
not a good one at least
and the submission i need to do
is give in to this fact

the fiction is just that
but the poetry is me
maybe if my falsehood was rejected
and the slivers of myself were accepted
it would be less painful
but the lies and made up are accepted
the truth is not good enough

so this is my submission
do not let it be said
i cannot take a hint

i gave up on love
for much the same reason
i can give up on this
as well

he carved the words from the emptiness within, and was surprised to find they held no value, maybe if he had tried to sculpt from something more precious, something less pure, it would have been enough, but an artist can only use the things around him as vessels, when they are not deemed enough, yet it is all that he has, what other choice does he have, but to submit

14 thoughts on “submit”

  1. Your story is not atypical, sadly. Yes, writing (indeed all art) is absolutely subjective. Most writers who submit their work are rejected and rejected and rejected. It’s why so many people have turned to self-publishing. (Well that and the fact that more pennies on the dollar goes in your pocket rather than the publisher’s.) I recommend asking those ones that rejected you to please explain why they did so. This may help you grow as a writer or cement in your mind why you do what you do. Either way, you win. Elect to grow from the rejection. It’s the only advice I can give. Take it for what it’s worth. (PS: I love your poetry AND stories.)

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    1. like i said to EC, one day these rejections will be badges of honor. doesn’t make it less painful. i will put out what i want, not change my style for their tastes. just because they publish poetry doesn’t mean they are the be all end all of what poetry is. the small handful of people that actually read my stuff know what i do. That’s enough. maybe once the book comes out it will broaden my audience. for now i am content to write. twenty thousand words into this new tale. it’ll happen.

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  2. Poetry is tremendously subjective.
    I have always been drawn to your poems, they initially attracted me to your writing I’d miss it if you stopped.
    However if you don’t believe you’re good at it like you stated above, you don’t like doing it for even yourself and would rather not continue any longer, your stories are a beautiful thing to fall back on. There’s no harm in letting something go.

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    1. I’m not good at letting go. Just dejected by the rejection. I’ve tried stopping but I could no more rip put my tongue as stop writing poems. It just feels… Meh. I’ll keep writing for you and the few that actually bother to read it. One day I’ll put it out and the rejection letters will be a badge of honor of sorts.

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