Submission Poem

Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. Editor:

I joined your mailing list
because I wish to be published.

This is not to say that I actually
thought that there was someone
who checked on that sort of thing.

To be honest I have no desire to
read your online magazine. . .
unless, of course
I'm in it.

This is nothing personal.

I could care less about
the literary goings on
in a city where
you live
and I have no want to visit.

I know what I'm looking for.

It's not some kid
going to grad school
writing poetry about
reading Nietzsche -
trying to be obvious - blahblah
getting acceptance letters,
blahblahblah
typing up cleaver bios
blahblahblahblah
about still working in a grocery store
blahblahblahblahblah. . .

As if working a shit job
and being a published poet a shock.

Like it shocks me,
reading the poems
that some people have also read
and consciously published.

In short,
thank you for
considering me
for publication
and picking someone else.

God knows I wouldn't have wanted
to be in this last issue
with the Nietzsche kid.

And please remove me from your mailing list.

Sincerely,
Shaun Wisniewski