There are men who wield God-given five-digit weapons with unparalleled accuracy. Hip-fired hollow-points or full-metal iron-sight finger-fired points. The shots always land. They rain blame in place of bullets, phantom pains in armor-piercing guilt, Magazines in the wrists, Foregrips in the elbows, Friends or foes, we are all painted targets until the stock creaks and the muzzle buckles rust sets into the calcium mechanism. Men with God-given five-digit weapons never realize that a hidden barrel always pointed home.
1art by Pragna Gaddamedi (@prgs.jpeg)
Poetry Tip of the Day!
This poem is extra special to me because it was published in Bareknuckle Poet. Around the time I put in my submission, a lot of my poetry mentors and inspirations were receiving their acceptances, and it felt like a pipe dream for me. I remember sitting alone in my West Campus apartment and just smiling at the email. I was a published poet again!
Since then though, I haven’t submitted to magazines as much. It’s not only a time and emotion intensive process, but an expensive one as well. Most contests require at least a $20 submission fee, and I was entering as many as I could find. A lot of my work is experimental and doesn’t deal with social issues or trauma. Those just aren’t the poems I enjoy writing all the time, but poetry is an outlet to express any and all ideas. I just refuse to change my writing to appeal to publications. Rather than going out and finding the magazines that would see the merit in my work, this newsletter is a lot more rewarding. If you’re here, I hope it’s because you want to be. If you’re reading, know that you mean the world to me. Because of Substack, I get to publish twice a week now! I’ll always appreciate the publications that liked my work enough to exhibit it, and I am grateful for the chance to reach new audiences. This is just a whole lot better!