Tristan Robert Lange

Between the Lines

“Dear,”

Silly poet,

“You chose to share your work—

\"gave us an opportunity”

But we’re passing that shit up;

“We won’t select this submission for publication”

Because it is too real and scares the shit out of us—

Can we even make money off of that?

Will we lose readers?

We just don’t think you are

Marketable.

“Regardless of [our] particular tastes”—

No matter how

Unpublishable

We think you might be—

“Your voice and your work are valuable”

To some asshole out there

But not here at this table,

“and we wish you all the best

\"with your writing in the future,”

But we won’t allow that shit here.

Not so sincerely,

Gutless Gatekeepers