reticence and his actions, I learned that ough it wasn’t my chosen way of being ed, it was the only way he knew how to t. en I remember his Love, Dad now, I r his concern, the times he’d say, ‘call when you get home.’ en I reminisce, his Love, Dad is full of tectiveness, when he said, ‘I wish you en’t living alone, so you’d have someto take care of you.’ en learned to understand his Love, d of anger when I was in my early twen, still living at home, and he refused to ak to me for three days after I’d stayed all night Friday and came back at 6AM urday! my signature also matured over time, initial cap L in Lorraine and initial cap S amuels began to carry that same cloeaf pattern with a wide swing, just like d’s. Shaping these letters in the Palmer e revealed the confidence I’d develd in the power of my pen. And along h it, my deepening connections to bert Samuels, Jr. By Lorraine Rose Samuels. Lori is an essay writer and published poet who teaches English as a Second Language. Her themes include extolling the wonders of nature, the transitions in life we journey through, and the imperfections and beauty of human attachment. Lorraine is currently crafting a book of essays and poetry. She lives in Brewster, NY with her four geriatric cats!
Dear Editor Poem I received a cookie-cutter form letter of rejection from the editor for someone else’s poem in my SASE. That someone else sent me the acceptance letter she received for my poem in her SASE. My poetic response: this seventeen syllable ‘precursory curse’ villanelle. Dear Editor, I appreciate the time you took to send this rejection letter about your decision not to publish me or put my work in print, but I think, indeed, you really need to do your rejections better. With your fine job title I felt you’d be the writing standard setter ‘til you rejected me in an SASE someone else had sent. Should I appreciate the time you took on this rejection letter? My intent is not to anger or put my future chance in fetter, nor is the matter of this patter solely to chastise you or vent, yet I think, indeed, you really need to make your rejections better. Some of my best saved rejections have never fed a paper shredder; that’s how I detect, in retrospect, rhyme and reason to circumvent the monumental task you took to construct this rejection letter. Try to get the right writer’s name in your rejection letter header or you may wonder where the submissions for your next edition went. So I think, indeed, you really need to sort your rejections better. In closing, I’ll just make this point I surely hope you will consider: Always remember you cannot edit what we writers never sent. Though I appreciate the time you took on your rejection letter, still I think, indeed, you really need to check your rejections better. Yours Truly, Carl ‘Papa’ Palmer ~ writer By Carl ‘Papa’ Palmer. Carl is originally from Old Mill Road in Ridgeway, Virginia, and now lives in University Place, Washington. He is retired from the military and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and is enjoying life as ‘Papa’ to his grand-descendants and being a Franciscan Hospice volunteer. PAPA’s MOTTO: Long Weekends Forever!
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