Ding Letter

Actually, it wasn't a letter. Just a creamy, almost-yellow card, slightly smaller than your average post card. I got my first ever rejection through email, but i was expecting that one. This was the first rejection that i could hold in my hand, and i had had high hopes for this particular opportunity.

I'm trying to convince myself that all it means is that my poems were not their cup of tea, but it's hard not to read this as "Seriously? You should have saved your postage and our time. What a waste."

Last semester, i wrote this poem:

Publishing

I fold up my heart and my soul

and all my hopes and dreams

(including a cover letter and SASE)

and send them off

to find out how much they are worth.

And sometimes

(all too often, in fact),

the answer comes back:

“Nothing.”

Putting aside the fact that the poem sucks, i am trying my damndest to remember that the question should not be, "How much is this worth?" but rather, "How much is this worth to you?"