Francesca Bell

I LONG TO HOLD THE POETRY EDITOR’S PENIS IN MY HAND

and tell him personally,

I’m sorry, but I’m going

to have to pass on this.

Though your piece

held my attention through

the first few screenings,

I don’t feel it is a good fit

for me at this time.

Please know it received

my careful consideration.

I thank you for allowing

me to have a look,

and I wish you

the very best of luck

placing it elsewhere.

—from Rattle #40, Summer 2013

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Francesca Bell: “I write poetry in an attempt to draw as close as possible to the world around me and to the people in it. For me, poetry should be intimate, bare, wild, and a little ragged. If you can’t go for your own jugular, you shouldn’t write.” (web)