No Contest

THIS POEM WILL NOT CHARGE YOU FOR READING

This poem will not charge you for reading

This poem will not take 6 months to reply

This poem does not demand

you bring a theme to it

an overarching idea

you conceived of just to get paid.

This poem won’t ask your genre

It does not want you to put yourself

In a box just to get seen.

This poem doesn’t care about the boundaries

About structure or the rules.

This poem does not charge you for reading

Does not ask you to give dollars

While it entertains your dreams.

This poem is not closed to submissions

You’re welcome to read this all year round

This poem does not claim to be independent

While trying to glom on to every ad it can

This poem does will not charge you for reading.

This poem does not invoke your name for sport

This poem does not want to see you dance

For attention or entertainment or anything else.

NO

CONTEST

NO

CONTEST

This poem started from the bottom now it’s here

This poem will stand on its own broken feet

If it’s in competition with anyone it’s with itself

Writing isn’t a contest, not a beauty pageant

Go shoot hoops if that’s what you want to see

Turning writing into a contest

When you can’t even fucking read.

This poem will not charge you for reading.