Janet Jiahui Wu: There Is A Certain Type

There Is A Certain Type

There is a certain type (of poems) the critics the editors those who write in jest and never fully in spirit go for and it always goes something like this:

there is

a certain

type

(of poems)

the critics

the editors

those who write

in jest

and never fully

in

spirit

go for

and it nearly

always

goes

something like

this:

there is a certain type

the critics

the editors

and all those

who cannot write

or who write stupidly or in jest (but who can tell which is which?)

but never once fully honest (not to self and not to others)

and never in full spirit never once

for their spirits lack blood

and they type up these
rejection letters

as though
they really meant it

and it always goes something like this:

thank you

for sending us

your invaluable work

we enjoyed reading it

but

unfortunately

however

it is not

for us

to like

and it is not

like what we want

and what we want

follow must

a certain

format

though

something new

we like

we know not what

but it nearly

goes

something like

so and on

I'll show you

like this

(but I don't have time):

There is a certain type you write a certain rejection a certain dejection a certain fascinate leaving full of affirmed life anti-pessimistic and something firm something grounded full and something better than this if you like something we like better as an unreal unorwellian unperson and if you like send us again something better stronger full of light full of joy full of angelic voices like one gold leaf shading the path and we will take it if you like for the certain type follows a certain way and the certain way is paving something new and unfortunately you are not paving something new so it must go as it is:

in response . . .

thank you

I have received

your useful knowledge

and I switch from song

to format

and content

to un-content

and send it

to as many publishers

as possible

for it is the only way

isn't it?

thank you

the past

makes some things possible

and what is new

except to go for

what is in the way

of the new?

thank you

I thank you

like this:

thank you for sending us your work we really enjoyed reading one section in particular unfortunately it is not for not right for us
we liked it though

good luck:

so I sit down

look at various ways

of detaching my pride

ie

what makes my person

from my various detachments

as they are

and write:

There is a certain type
the critics
the editors
etc
who cannot write except in some unknown way foreign to all true writers all true players and manipulators and joiners and teasers of words

o such critics and editors and foolers of no one
who somehow are never fully in spirit (for their spirits are astral projections anyway)

There is a certain type
these likes
go for and it almost always goes something like this poem.

Janet Jiahui Wu is a genderqueer visual artist and writer of fiction, drama, and poetry. She has previously been published in Cordite Poetry Review, Mascara Literary Review, Voiceworks Literary Magazine, Rabbit Poetry Journal and so on. She currently resides in Adelaide, South Australia.