An Elegy to the Poem

I send you to represent
In various magazines and ezines
From my country
To the world of every region
But you fall victim
To the predators
We call them poetry editors.
They are prepared
with ready witted reply:
to the guidelines
your submission doesn’t comply.

Some say:
Thank you for your interest
But we've decided to pick up the best

Some say:
You are committing a crime
By composing the poems in rhyme.
Better if our guidelines you rehearse
As we consider poems only in free verse.

Some say:
We don’t accept
Unsolicited submission.
So before sending works
You must seek permission.

Some say:
Sorry, not what we are looking for
Best of luck publishing them
In other journals.

Some say:
Our magazine is limited
To the poets of our nation
So we don’t accept submission
From out of our station.

Some say:
Your submission permanently fails
As we don’t accept it by email.
They don’t have time
To read and waste
Stereotype reply
They simply copy and paste.

Some say:
Due to large volume of submissions
It is not feasible to give
On all critical depreciation.

Some say:
We have decided
To pass on these
But next time don’t forget
To send more, please.

Some say:
We only publish
The works of established poet
So keep on trying,
Watch and wait.

These are only
Small lists of rejection
Poets are victim of
Numerous persecutions.

I keep on sending
In spite of your insults
The poets do poetry
Irrespective of the results.

Vivekanand Jha

Archived 06/24/2010