Think & Thunk - Poetry.com

I’ve just finished, for better or worse, an adventure with Poetry.com. It started with the submission of a poem which even I never considered either good, or my best. The submission was given rave reviews along with an offer to publish it in print.
Given the old adage – “If it seems to good to be true, it probably is” I went with it out of curiosity. I am now the proud owner of a copy of “A Surrender to the Moon” where said submission is prominently feature as #1 page 1.
Startling enough to prompt some serious investigation, it took a bit to realize how it could be accomplished; my copy is as original as every other copy whose buyers are featured as #1 on page 1.
I’m still not sure exactly how I feel about that, one of a kind can often be of value simply for that reason. I’ve no hurt pride or feelings (though I have found that there are some of those out there, about this particular idea), I was pursuing it for the sake of curiosity in any case.
To put a final touch on the adventure. I was approached a second time for a poem by the same folks, with the same – “You may already be a wiener” followup to buy into the production and a request for a repeat of the biographical information to accompany it. This was what first got me looking more carefully to begin with. The second submission goes as follows:

Whisper

Life’s over when it’s over;
Like a song`s final notes it sometimes lingers
Long and bittersweet,
Like a song`s final notes it sometimes lingers
Like a long and breathless whisper.

Life`s over when it`s over;
Like a song`s final notes it sometimes cries
Slow and quiet murmurs,
Like a song`s final notes it sometimes cries
A long and breathless sigh;
One last breathless whisper for all that`s past and done.

The mildly irritated bio went as follows;

I write poetry because its there, if I don’t its never born. For me a poem is a visitor with a life of its own, that graces me with its presence, briefly, and then moves on.
Which is how my relationship with Poetry.com will unwind.

It has been interesting, but I don’t think I’ll submit the proofs this time.

Thanks folks, but I think I’ll take care of it from here.

It ain’t like its the passing of dreadnoughts.