pi & anne

Tipping One’s Mitt

Apparently I’m not quite done with the topic of submitting…

river bridge
the leaf before
the leaf after

Looking at my submissions, it’s quite clear: I send a better selection of poems, when I have built a real connection with the journal’s mission and their editors. Full stop.

It’s about trust. No careful, long curation is pivotal for me. It’s emotions. That’s fascinating!

revisiting squirrels next spring

Emotions have a big influence on why we do what we do. I believe people are generally more inclined to send their best work when they feel safe doing so.

When do I feel safe? When a journal seems open, honest, friendly, communicative and personal. When there is literally a person to connect with. 

closing a ring cairn repetends

If that’s true, then perhaps what the journals get to see of the poets is not representative of their full range and abilities. I keep wondering how we can bring all the hidden treasures in fellow poets’ notes out into the wild! I wonder if this trust between poets and editors might come close to the function of a muse….

stepping-stones
this morning
thinly iced

And when a rejection letter is sent, the balance of trust must be restored as best as possible…

mypoemtooshortcomingforthemoon

And I really want my poems being read. I want people to feel them.

raising their handsome point taken

I don’t have a definitive answer, maybe there isn’t just one…

Poets! Share your good experiences, what helps you to entrust your best haiku to a magazine?

Editors! What do you think is helpful to maintain and establish the connection?

Responses

  1. Sherry R Avatar
    Sherry R

    Hi. All your titles baffle me… Haven’t heard this phrase with “mitt” before… (For me a mitt was a baseball/ softball glove. Esp, a catcher’s mitt or “keep your mitts off those cookies…”)

    But I tipped mine very recently accidentally forwarding my comments to a friend about my haiku being rejected which included my scorecard, with names: Mag X, 5 sent/5 rejected Mag Y, 5 sent/5 rejected Mag Z, 5 sent/

    Yeah, forwarded the above to editors at Mag Y by accident… Clumsy with tech sometimes…

    Nevertheless, I did like you and just found who was having a submission period. (I’d just started writing my new haiku in the class 2 months ago), so when I had 5, I sent them to mag x, which is long established and highly regarded; then wrote 5 more, and sent to Mag Y (also famous), and then the last 5 to Mag Z which I’ve read for years…

    You see, I had decided I want to get 3 publications so I can apply to be listed in the directory of haiku poets. It would be my (2nd chance) legacy… (screwed the first). And being born last mid-century, I’m in a bit of a rush. (“At my back I always hear time’s winged chariot drawing near”–Andrew Marvel).

    So I decided to start sending them out, and as I continued to learn during that course, so the poems did get better…)

    Of course, I’ve read* many mags and am waiting esp for February when two I’m interested in have open submissions. (One in the Seattle metro and one in Deutschland.) Gotta revise or finish another 10 by then. 😂 *read sorta like you described

    Well now I’ve tipped my ✋ (a poker tell)

    ×××

    Much more importantly, your ideas about editors and muses…

    1)For me a Muse is an inspiration, an energy, and it is more “spiritual” … feeling

    Whereas pleasing an editor seems a motivation which one may use in a “practical” way. …thinking.

    All the above from poet standpoint.

    ×××

    I absolutely love the haiku you interspersed! Very resonant for me. I would publish them.

    Question: Since you published them in a blog are they still “unpublished”– ie, can you submit them?

    Thank you for sharing! S

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. pi & anne Avatar
      pi & anne

      Haha, my titles!! As I’m no native English speaker, I usually look more unknown phrases, idioms and sayings up… I had the German translation to this in mind and I thought it suited the topic very well, also—pun intended: sub-mitt ;D.

      Oh, that must have been stressful with the accidentally forwarding 😳.

      Sherry, you got that. You will publish three poems. Here to cheer you on!

      Concerning ‘muse’: what I meant to say is that pleasing the editor at all cost (I couldn’t care less about that) would be a power dynamic really unhelpful to inspire to write good work, or choose for submitting. That would be no trusting connection. What I mean is… when there is good trust between the editor and the poet and a personal connection, this trust can work like a muse for me. A well-balanced trust on eye-level sets me free, and lessens worrying and the need/necessity to please. I hope I could explain this good enough <3.

      Thank you! I know most of these monoku/haiku/senryu will not ever be considered by some journals, so lets see who I can entrust these :).

      About if these are seen as published: some journals allow poems which have been on social media or a blog, some don't. It's usually pointed out in their guidelines. I am not less proud of those, they all are a piece of me!

      You are very welcome, Sherry.
      (Again: you got that. <3)

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  2. Sherry R Avatar
    Sherry R

    Many thanks for your kindness, Kati. I truly appreciate you.
    And, I see what you mean about how a supportive relationship between editor(s) and poet can act as a muse… (symbiotic)…
    nothing wrong with your English!

    Wishing places for all your monoku!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  3. Sherry R Avatar
    Sherry R

    salamander
    ripples
    repetend

    sjr

    Chus, off to work!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  4. pi & anne Avatar
    pi & anne

    👏🏻 love it, Sherry!!

    Like

    Reply

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