Equanimity

Yesterday afternoon I received my first rejection for poems for April.

While I don't think I will be joining the FB group that counts and reports their rejections with a goal of reaching 100 (as a means of encouraging submissions and providing solidarity), I am going to endeavor to think of declined submissions as a positive development in my growth as a poet.

In fact, I used to be a little proud of the rejection letters I received for short stories and picture book texts when I was in my twenties because I knew they represented effort. Hey, at least I'd put myself out there!

The same thing is still true. I'm putting myself out there. I can't get rejected if I never submit anything.

But I confess that I'm a little more disappointed these days when I receive a "thanks by no thanks" than I used to be. Because I know that the submissions are more likely to get a "yes" now than they did when I was 20. When I was younger even I knew that I hadn't lived enough to give authority to the subject matter I was tackling.

So I will sigh a little, maybe pout for a moment or two, and then update my Duotrope account and get on with it, aiming for equanimity in this as in all things.