once rejected then collected ultimately selected

that’s how it goes with me sometimes.

sometimes yes, sometimes no, sometimes what the hell.

aggressive publishers knock feverishly at the door,

they make intrusive inquiries of friends and relations,

and stake-out the Chinese eatery across the street

anticipating the possibility that I'd pen a new one

on the backside of a menu.

I try to be pleasant and understanding, but

yesterday a young aggressor from “New Directions”

impersonating a majorette from the local junior college

pretending to seek a donation for a phony event, appeared

standing in the middle of my bathroom floor.

but with keen observational awareness I saw through his deception,

and reached for the bullhorn I keep at the ready:

“your knees my good fellow! they’re not chubby enough!–– basta”!

alone, I resumed the pleasure of my refreshing bubble bath, and although

it was Wednesday an image began to take shape in my head when a sudden

sense of foreboding came over me and I thought: “oh, no. not that again”!