I apologize that I haven’t had the chance to update this in the last few weeks.  It seems that poets like to put off submitting poems until the last possible minute:  about 600 poems came during the last week that submissions were open!  Although the vast majority of poems came in via email, I also received a couple of hundred poems via postal mail.  Anyhow, I’ve been reading through the many, many poems that were submitted, and I’ve started to send out acceptance notes: I will send acceptances for the book manuscript first; I will send acceptances for online publication next; after I’ve finished those duties, I’ll send thank you notes to those that submitted whose work will not be included in the project.  So many admirable works–but I can only include a few hundred in the project!

Of course, the wild world keeps spinning in its wild journey through the wilderness of space.  Here’s a poem by Naomi Lazard that has been on my mind:

Ordinance on Arrival

Welcome to you
who have managed to get here.
It’s been a terrible trip;
you should be happy you have survived it.
Statistics prove that not many do.
You would like a bath, a hot meal,
a good night’s sleep. Some of you
need medical attention.
None of this is available.
These things have always been
in short supply; now
they are impossible to obtain.

This is not
a temporary situation;
it is permanent.
Our condolences on your disappointment.
It is not our responsibility
everything you have heard about this place
is false. It is not our fault
you have been deceived,
ruined your health getting here.
For reasons beyond our control
there is no vehicle out.

***

Okay–back to reading through submissions.