slushtrudge

[rinue]

Belatedly sludging through the slush pile (belatedly by my standards, but I'm reading subs from 6 weeks ago, which is fast by industry norms) which has been huger than normal all reading period, double the ordinary volume, because everyone has lots of time now. (Or hundreds of people are submitting now instead of at another time because they know I'm the one on desk and are fond of me personally. But probably it's the pandemic.) It's a bit of a headache, since I am myself stretched for time and would usually be close to done by now instead of staring down hundreds more unread poems. But this does not make the pieces any less worthy of attention and if anything makes me feel more impelled to add a human note of appreciation when I can.

The main thing I'm trying to suppress is that when I read a bunch of poems at once, I start picking up patterns. On this particular day I have noticed that tons of people who are geographically distant from each other are using the word "palimpsest" and the phrase "on my tongue." Not in the same poem yet, I don't think. There doesn't seem to be a specific fairytale or myth in fashion, though. Usually it seems like there is.

Comments

[sovay]

There doesn't seem to be a specific fairytale or myth in fashion, though. Usually it seems like there is.

Honestly, I would have expected the pandemic to crystallize one.

[rinue]

Right? I did get a cool Icarus one, which I thought was a neat fit for wrestling with questions about when it's safe to go out. But none of the big rafts like when I'll sometimes get a bunch of snow white or bunch of riding hood or a bunch of medusa.

I think maybe people are sending in more space travel stuff, though (not that they aren't always, so I can tell whether it's that I'm seeing more because I'm seeing more subs, or whether I'm seeing a higher proportion) either because they're feeling isolated like astronauts or because they find it emotionally easier to imagine futures right now than to think about repeating traditions.

[gwynnega]

Now I want to write a poem called "Palimpsest on My Tongue."

[rinue]

I would definitely say go for it, and maybe title it "sign of the times"

[sovay]

Now I want to write a poem called "Palimpsest on My Tongue."

Do it.

[sabotabby]

"Palimpsest On My Tongue" is a pretty great poem title, though. But I am a troll (and not a poet) so it would end up being about oral sex with multiple partners.

[rinue]

This is definitely something poets write about, so I'm not sure I trust you about not being a poet.

[sabotabby]

Sorry, sorry. I should say that I'm not a good poet.

[rinue]

[steeliest voice] you no-good poet

[sovay]

But I am a troll (and not a poet) so it would end up being about oral sex with multiple partners.

This is not a compelling argument against.