“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
© 2025 Tristan Robert Lange. All rights reserved.
-
Author:
Tristan Robert Lange (
Offline) - Published: July 9th, 2025 07:57
- Comment from author about the poem: Just a little found poetry fun with another sterile rejection letter from the gatekeepers of guile. Dedicated to all the poets of all abilities and styles submitting their work just to get cold, sterile replies. It’s the reality of the beast, but know you are seen and REALLY valued by so many. Who cares about the elite, no? Keep writing, you beautiful souls. Keep publishing. Art is for the people, not the gatekeepers.
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 27
- Users favorite of this poem: Cheeky Missy, sorenbarrett, Poetic Licence, 𝓱𝓪𝔂𝓵𝓮𝓲𝓰𝓱, ElizabethMoroz
Offline)
Comments11
There’s a way to word things when rejecting someone’s work .. and if anyones going to reject someone’s work .. in a cold strange way .. then I think that’s not very nice to the person submitting their work
Caring Dove, thank you so much. You nailed exactly what I was getting at. Rejection’s part of the game, sure—but cold, soulless replies like that? They do more harm than necessary. It costs nothing to show a little care. I wrote this for every poet who's felt that sting. Grateful you felt it too. 🔥📄🪶🗯️
Oh dear, been there and have had that done to me in parallel forms. Gatekeepers don't own the place but they do brandish the keys quite wilfully. You know there are enough of us about to put out an independent label (if it were like a Motown story) mmm...
Sorry for the extremely late reply, but better later than never. 😅 But...man, yes...exactly. Key brandishers they are. They don’t own the art, but they sure act like they do. And I’d be all in on a poetic Motown-style label, my friend. My eyes and ears perked up! Let the outsiders build the temple. 🔥📄🪶🗯️ Sounds like holy work to me!
Hello Tristan,
Those gatekeepers don't know good shit when they see it and particularly this one. You should send it to them - hahaha! I really enjoyed this one; you never let the reader down.
All the best,
Tony.
Tony, my friend, forgive my tardiness...this was dropped the same day I lost Internet, if I remember correctly. Anywho, your comment gave me a much-needed laugh. You’re right...they wouldn’t know good shit if it knocked on the door and handed them a golden toilet paper.. 😂 The temptation crossed my mind, I won't lie! Truly grateful for your words. Always means a lot. 🔥📄🪶🗯️
Every contest I've entered earns me nothing but chagrin, whence it's pointless wasting the half pennies to have my work bound and printed since obviously nobody wants it. Let us expire with the rest of humanity and...presto! Our work may well be revered. Only when we're six feet under, mind you. Gorgeously rendered with excellent imagery and a deliciously familiar poignancy. Thank you for sharing. I love, love, LOVE it!
Forgive my tardiness, Missy, as I had lost the internet when this was published. Oops. 😅 But yes…that’s the tragic formula, isn’t it? Rejection in life, reverence in death! 😅 We’ll be beloved in posthumous paperback, I’m sure of it. But in the meantime...your comment is everything. I feel every syllable of what you said… and your love lifts it all higher. Truly, thank you, my dear friend. 🔥📄🪶🗯️
I've done a careless study of art, any genre, to confirm the curious reality: no artist is cherished even half as much as his work is. Dead or alive, the artwork is forever more honored and beloved than its author [or authoress]. There's a connection to man and his God in there, not surprisingly, methinks.
Too true at least so it was with Eugene Bullard the black swallow of death. After submitting his biography he was told that it was too unbelievable and would not be published. Indeed it was too unbelievable but was all true. He seems to have been the black Forest Gump. Love the read it brought that back to mind, rejection does not always mean inferior it can mean that it is simply too good to be accepted.
Soren, thank you for this. I didn’t know that story about Bullard, but now I’ll be diving in. That line...too good to be accepted...yeah, for real. Some truths hit so hard they get labeled as fiction just to make them go away. Rejection doesn’t always reveal weakness...sometimes it reveals the limits of the gatekeepers. Deeply grateful you shared this, my friend. 🔥📄🪶🗯️
Check out You Tube The Fat Electrician The Black Swallow of Death You are most welcome my friend
Minor update in progress. Final version coming soon once the server stops trying to block from making it. Egads. 🙄
I stand corrected. It appears that the \"security\" system of MPS has flagged/blocked me from making updates to this poem. Or there\'s a glitch. But poem remains in its imperfection and, for that, I am thankful.
A defiant message to all, if everyone wrote to please everyone there would be nothing out there, lovely write, enjoyed the read
Boohoo, I never knew ya disliked my poems so much! heehee.
Wait? You write the poems? I thought that was Fido! 🤣 All daftness aside, This one wasn’t aimed at poets…it was aimed at the polished walls keeping good voices out. Your work belongs in the mix. Boohoo nothing, ya daft genius. heehee. 🔥📄🪶🗯️
P.S. I think you should sing a Barry Manilow parody, Call it "I Write Verse Jokes." Game? 🤣 Sung to "I Write the Songs", of course. 🤭
Jeez T if I had faves then this would surely feature .. Some things are crying out to be said .. this is one such thing .. I do award stars tho' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐👍
Neville, my friend…that means the world to me. Some things really do cry out to be said, and I’m grateful this one found resonance with you. Your stars shine bright...thank you for them, and for you. 🔥📄🪶🗯️
publication is exceedingly difficult, and, though I haven't attempted to publish anything if my own, I'm sure rejection must sting. another reason why I love this site, though; you don't need a fancy publisher... just you and your work, and that's beautiful. it's also such a blessing to have others read your work and enjoy it. enjoyed the read! a fave, as well.
Hayleigh, thank you so much. You captured the heart of it...just being able to share and be read without needing permission...that’s what makes this place so special. Rejection stings, yeah...but connection heals. Deeply grateful for your words, and the fave. 🔥📄🪶🗯️
my pleasure.
The gatekeepers are so real and reductive Tristan! Much mirth and laughter from the defiant tone. I hope you find a publisher who appreciates your talent. Elizabeth
Elizabeth, thank you, my friend…that means a lot. “Reductive” is exactly the word. But hey...while they're guarding the gate, we'll just go through the windows, scale the walls, and traverse the connected caverns below. Deeply grateful for your support. 🔥📄🪶🗯️
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