Rejection

Rejection (again),
I’m beginning to think it’s a rigged game;
it’s always the same,
an apologetic form letter:

“Thank you for your submission and interest in our upcoming
anthology/monthly ezine/periodical/(fill in the blank):

‘Under the Yellow Brick Road Beside the Fallen Bridge’

however due to the tremendous volume of material submitted
we are simply unable to include them all (of course this
doesn’t mean they are not worthy of printing), we do hope
you will remember us in the future, and oh by the way;

‘Under the Yellow Brick Road ’ will be available for
the low purchase price of $9.99 in February.”

It would almost be beyond bearing
if it wasn’t so comical,
coming from editors of obscure presses
that no one has ever heard of (or ever will).

I always imagine some pathetic little man (or woman),
sitting in a cramped, seedy apartment,
with wet underwear drying on a clothes line,
signing form letters and feeling important
because they were able to scrape up enough cash
to buy a laptop and create a web page,
and now they’re an ‘EDITOR’,
putting together chap books and monthly
broadsides with the help of Staples or Kinkos,
along with a few dozen of their closest friends,
presiding over the monthly readings and critique sessions
at the local library or Barnes & Nobles,
passing judgment on everyone and everything
which does not fit their preconceived ideas or molds.

Yes, it is very comical and pathetic;
although ‘EDITOR’ does have a nice kind of ring to it;

and I have been thinking about building a webpage;

and there is a Staples right down the street;

if you can’t beat em,
might as well join em;

I sure wish that underwear
would hurry up and dry.
.
.