Honorable Mention

09 Feb Honorable Mention

Thank you for your submission

When will I get published? Perhaps when I try.

From the dusty archives, I present to you two poems (that I am loosely referring to as such): “Honorable Mention” and “Competition.” Certainly far from my best work, they made me chuckle. They’ve not been shared anywhere until now because they were written to release obvious frustration, which is visible in the haste with which they were thrown together.

There was a period of a few years during which I was actively submitting my writing for publication. Sometime around 2009, I wrote a poem that I titled “Honorable Mention.” I don’t think the title suits it well, but I am rolling with it for the post. One little secret about me is that I notoriously loathe picking titles, but I have gotten over it for the most part.

Honorable Mention | 2009

Thank you for your submission.
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First place: John P. Smith,
Abernathy, Texas
with "The Little Flower That Grew" – 
We’re sorry, but he’s
a better writer than you.
Second place: Alexis Marie Kelly,
Lewiston, Maine
with "Sunshine in the City" –  
We’re sorry, but her words
are really pretty.
Third place: Who F. N. Cares
A small hut on an island
with "Angels, Flowers, Sunshine, and Love" – 
Because life’s a tasty box of chocolates
that we can’t get enough of.

Honorable mentions: 
Here's a list of 35 names.
Just not yours.

Names and titles are 100% fabricated.

My poetry tends to turn the lights off and explore the darkness, sometimes lighting a candle along the way; sometimes dancing gleefully with whatever skeletons are willing to leave the safety of their closets. “Honorable Mention” grapples with repeated rejection in favor of the alternative.

I didn’t keep a record of what or where I submitted, save for one piece of prose, so unfortunately, I cannot analyze any specific pieces with fresh eyes to see if there was a degree of delusion involved. Out of almost 140 poems I have archived, though, I would say less than half were refined enough to even consider for publication.

The reason I decided to include the next poem, “Competition,” is solely for the last two lines. They’re applicable right now and renewed my desire to get published. They also hint at holding myself accountable for not prioritizing my goal. Good job, former self.

Competition | 9-12-06 

I stare at this screen for hours
until my eyes hurt so badly
that I am forced to put an end
to the torture.
I am in competition with
myself. I re-read previous work
in amazement. How did i write that?
Other pieces make me cringe.
I don't have the time
that I wish i had.
Work full-time, school at night –  
must get to the gym
(keep things tight).
I have to keep myself
looking half-decent
in case I meet a guy.
Even though more than most
are a waste of time –  
like this piece of shit poem.
When will I get published?
Perhaps when I try.

Someone posted this recently on Substack, and it’s now my 2026 mantra. I’ve got three newly composed poems waiting to be released unto the world, pending the outcome of two (so far) contest submissions. Rejection is no longer a deterrent.