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... readers was, "What did you mean by this?"
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Although sometimes it was tempting to tell him or her, my stock answer was, "Oh, no -- I've
done MY job in writing it... now it's time to do yours and READ it."
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And I would ask how they interpreted it.
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I LOVED doing this as their answers very rarely had anything to do with what inspired my
poems in the first place, but they were almost always excellent and fascinating interpretations
and would often reveal things about my poems that I had been unaware of -- kind of shine a
light on my unconscious muse.
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My unconscious mind, btw... is a gifted fucking genius!!!
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You are not simply telling a story as with prose; you are sinking a well for their emotions to
come bubbling up from places even they may or may not have known existed.
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As far as not being accepted for publication, here's something no poet likes to admit -- maybe
your poem just sucked. I very rarely "knocked one out of the park" (although when I did, it
smashed half the windshields around the stadium). Equally, maybe it was something that
particular venue/outlet had no interest in as it was not "their thing". Another thing, even more
likely, is that since the poetry of which you are speaking is so personal, it is probably not a
part of the universal weltanschauung (I'm your MFMom, go look it up), so what are the odds
of any ONE specific editor recognizing what you were saying?
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And, um... excuse me ---
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"The first of the two poems in question saw brief circulation in another venue around 10 years
ago, and I received heartfelt (and tear-filled) thanks from a couple of readers that I was so
able to express the feelings that had been so long pent-up within them.".
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And you have the gall (or just plain ignorance) to ask your question?
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Go to your room... and don't come back until you have a REAL problem.
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