Not Better, Just Different

When Steve Wheeler asked me to be on the editorial team for the new #4 Edition of the ongoing Wheelsong Anthology Series I was  both thrilled,… and a bit troubled.

I am first and foremost a poet. I have been on the tail end of plenty of rejections… on and off many lists. Yet I was also an editor on my college literary magazine for three years. I understand what it takes to put a book to bed, and respect the tedious process.

Selecting poems for this upcoming book was not an easy task. I read and read for hours! I gave EVERY POEM as much attention as I would want an editor to give mine.

There were over 500 entries in two weeks. Many poets did not make it due to a number of reasons. Publisher and Editor In Chief Steve Wheeler put it best in a recent communique to Invisible Poet Facebook Group moderators:

“The editors worked long hours to wade through more than 500 anonymised submissions. I can guarantee the selection was fair and rigorous. Most poems were rejected for a number of reasons, including length, focus, emotional impact, grammatical and syntactical integrity, intelligability and potential appeal to a wide readership. The message to everyone is, this is a group effort, try not to take things personally, and keep supporting this initiative as it gains momentum. We are only just starting.”

Wheelsong Publishing really does represent the finest intentions of the poetry publishing business. The idea of promoting premiere class poets with an emphasis on charity for Save The Children is one that I am proud to be a part of, and work relentlessly at.

The simple fact is that no poet is better… only different. We are all growing as artists, some perhaps a little further than others. However, we are all growing artists, no matter what “level” we are on. I remain an administrator on Invisible Poets and a moderator on Wheelsong Poetry Facebook Groups  to humbly encourage upcoming poets. 

Although there is no way I could have enough time to possibly read EVERY poem on both groups, I am but one soul out of two teams of capable and caring leaders dedicated to supporting our members, no matter what their skill level. Every poet is special, every voice needs to be heard, every perspective is valid on its own merits. 

If you did it make it this time, congratulations! If you did not, get ready for the next Anthology… the next book… the next opportunity to get better! Buckle down. Try different content, different forms, different expressions, different perspectives…

When I got rejected, it only made me try all the harder. Finally, after all that rejection… all that work… all those many poems, I was lucky enough to be published. I still have not become the best poet I can be, and will not be stopped until I am. Never better than any other poet…. just different. Thanks for reading, and write on poet sisters and brothers.

Matt Elmore