Rejection and the angst of it all

Hi, 

How do you cope with rejection?

You might be able to relate to this in some other area of your life. 

Written back in 2012 when I was writing a lot of poetry and sending it off to various literary journals etc. 

Plus a special Coming Soon announcement.

Same time, next night

 

Another form rejection email

Like a razor blade in the dust

And I’m not supposed to let it bother me

But it does

They come like a stack of cards

One on top of the other

And I wonder why I subject myself to this.

 

I think about them

And other things

While I’m struggling with a stubborn back

Through the night

And I piss too much

Have to get up too early

And sort out who I will send to next.

 

I’m always tired

Always dissatisfied

And I know part of the reason

I feel this way

Is because of the drink

And the dark overcoat

Which some call the black dog

And I’m not supposed to mix the two

Until I get to that time of day

When a beer fixes anything

And I’ll take on those snobby publications

With their lifeless academic formulas

And pump out a couple of poems

That I believe in

With life and history

Of people and emotion

And at the very least

They shine with truth

Without giving a shit

If the university graduates

Get it or not

Until those same folks

Fire their cut and paste job

And keep me here at 3.54 am

Thinking I need a piss.

 

(2012)

I know now I need to challenge my own depressive thought processes. They go back as far as I can remember. I have much to be grateful for and need to count my blessings daily. Still, depression hits at times for no reason at all.

I did get quite a few POEMS published. Dozens. Though it took up so much of my time. At least two hours a day. And I was parenting and working and many of them charge fees so I spent a bit as well. I did get many published over a few years and thought it would help me get published, which it didn't, or some new readers, which it didn't. I eventually stopped sending them out. 

Now they're for you. (The best ones are in my books). There's plenty as yet unpublished. And I'm still writing them but not to the same level as I once did. Some I will release here and in possible future books. Many will not see the light of day.

Many new and positive poems in my new book Us & Them plus many stories.

If you like anything I do, please share. It's still very difficult to reach people. I've tried advertising. It doesn't work. Word of mouth is still the most effective. You're it!

A.J. Langford Books

Coming soon,

My unproduced feature length screenplay, Travel Bug, based on some of my travels when I was young. 

More Poetry