Bullsh*ts-With-Wolves

The other day, I heard a very repulsive commercial on the radio. (Actually, I find pretty much all of radio repulsive, but this especially.) The argument was essentially as follows:

1. When we play, we are returned to a state of simplicity and innocence that is closer to nature, and we are thus psychologically refreshed.

2. Native Americans are closer to nature.

3. Therefore, gambling -- or "playing" -- in Native-American-owned casinos in upper Michigan is the best way to return to this natural state.

I kid you not; this is a real commercial. Actual human beings think it is all right to say this.

If any of you poets out there are wondering why you should keep at it --- well, here's a reason: to put some true words out there in the world to counter this sh*t.

Keyword: Saturation Bombing

So yesterday I bought a huge box of envelopes for the fall poetry submission extravaganza. I also bought a little glue-moisturizing sponge-tipped water-bottle thingy for sealing the envelopes. I still have a buttload of DC Comics stamps and 2-cent stamps to bring them up the new postal rate. And I have two postal scales -- one electronic, one not -- to make sure my postage is correct. I am therefore prepared for that aspect of the process. It's a nice ritual.

Now I just need some poems that won't get rejected. Thus far, this has been the hard part. I am hoping that sending out in the early fall will help; usually, what happens is that when fall begins I am still waiting for the last of the summer rejections, and then it's December by the time I can send them out again. But this time I'm not waiting.

And I hope to finish a few new ones soon from a new series that I think definitely has legs. This should give me 4 or 5 batches of about 5 poems each.

And then I'm sending them out all over the bloody place.

And if that doesn't work, I quit.