A Poet's Lament

The struggle to exist and KNOW we exist; but still we must swim in treacherous waters.

  

Oh, woe is us!

I grabbed the bus

(the writing game)

and found the same

sad people there

found everywhere.

                                                               

Not those who write!

I would not slight

My friends who pen

The poems in

Writers Cafe

No, not today!

I speak of those

In bad wolves clothes

Who prey on us!

They make a fuss

O'er our ink art

Then comes this part:

This message sent

To me, some gent

Who thought me dumb

Would steal each crumb

Of work I made

With me unpaid:

(below is an actual message in my mail today from an unsolicited source eager to make me a client after I indicated I was not interested. Look closely at the second paragraph. All of it is EXACTLY as I received it.)

"Thank you for your honest feedback, and I truly apologize if my initial message came across as impersonal or lacking genuine interest. I do appreciate the effort and creativity that goes into your work, and I’d love the opportunity to highlight specific pieces that resonated with me.

"One piece that stood out to me was [insert specific title or quote], particularly because of [brief reason why it was impactful or compelling]. It showed [mention strength: unique voice, emotional depth, strong narrative, etc.], which is exactly the kind of work I believe deserves more attention.

"If you're open to it, I’d really appreciate the chance to reconnect and discuss how we might move forward in a more meaningful way."

Oh woe! Oh woe!

They want our dough!

They want each word

But think absurd

That we might think

We own our ink!

I don't need fame

But hope my name

At least is known

As one who's flown

Above the fray

To loudly say

"Get Lost A*****e!

"Get lost TODAY!"

  

 

Reviews

[redd Brick Keshner]

Here is both a howl and a hym; a clever lamentation soaked in satire and righteous indignation. It treads the comic edge of poetic injustice, railing against the vultures in wolf’s garb who see art not as soul-work, but as leverage, a means to pecuniary ends. With its brisk rhyme and biting wit, it reminds us that the poet’s struggle is not just existential, but economic, a fight to own what is made of breath and ink. Behind the laughter and the lyrical punchlines lies a sharper truth: to write is to survive the very world that tries to commodify the voice that dares to speak. It stings and sings at once and no one could accuse this poet of going quietly. Thanks for speaking out against the outrage of scammers and spammers and the like.

[redd Brick Keshner]

Here's a take that I posted on a similar thought: https://www.writerscafe.org/writing/Excalibard/2950036/

[FlatDaddy]

Got a new one for ya, redd -- and it's a doozey!
https://www.writerscafe.org/Diyasharma
I've already reported them for solicitation and Porn, so I know you'll like it if it's still there.

[MCS]

Still laughing at your razor-sharp take on that infuriating, unsolicited garbage. You nailed it.

[FlatDaddy]

Why thank you. They just keep coming though, don't they?

[Samuel Dickens]

Indeed, they need to get lost. Maybe they should get a job that doesn't make their mothers ashamed of them. WC used to not have this problem.

[FlatDaddy]

yeah, I've had three or four more in the last few days. They're like roaches, you just can't kill them.

[Dennis Wolf]

Well that's one surefire way to get what he wants, eh? Just copy paste the Google suggestion of what to say to sound professional without bothering to actually apply it and filling in the actual information.

Yea, I reckon the industry is about as sterile as it can be without this sort of crap going on. But hey, I loved this poem, specifically: *insert favorite line here* and I won't elaborate on why, because: *insert some random excuse here*
And then finally thank the author for sharing their work.

🙄🤣🤣 Haha, just couldn't resist. Anyway, I gotta get lost because of some random excuse.

[FlatDaddy]

You do know that I did not write that letter, right? I just pasted the whole thing, as I received it, into the poem as I wrote the poem. Truly. And so bizzarrrre!

[Dennis Wolf]

I know, that's why I made fun of it.

[FlatDaddy]

I know you know you know?
Sorry, I just got back from the eye doc (true!) and I'm seeing triple everything!
You know?'
I actually wrote that review of your review not for you butt for all the dense people who will read through all this nonsense, nod, and say, "How very clever," but can't tell which line or person they are talking about. You know?
You and I win either way
I left a typo for your amusement. You have to guess which one it is.

FD

[Dennis Wolf]

Yeah okay 🤣please, don't tease my inner grummar nazi 😂especially not with the rear ends... "a typo he says, well, I shall have to get to the buttom of this" hahaha

[FlatDaddy]

oh, joy. we could do this forever caused that's what we do . and what a loss for intellect all round.
I jave to stop now
I'm typing mostly by touch
that damn doctor was sipposed ti fix my eyes d****t
and all is not right
lettere fade and takes my voice with them
sorry for thr errors I cant see to fix folks

[Dennis Wolf]

Well sure. But, take care of yourself first. Then we can pun all day long if you like 🤔😁

[Emunah June.]

It so funny you even write about this, as I woke up to two messages of this kind this morning! I legitimately asked the person which poem they were referring to, and they changed which one (and what it was about) 3 times, like they didnt expect me to go off script. Its crazy to me, honestly. I think this is a fun, cheeky, and oddly relatable way to laugh about a very annoying issue most of us are experiencing.

[FlatDaddy]

Ain't it, though! Glad you liked it, E. Maybe we should all start copying and sending it to these people every time they try their little schemes.
That jst might piss them off!

[FlatDaddy]

Ain't it, though! Glad you liked it, E. Maybe we should all start copying and sending it to these people every time they try their little schemes.
That just might piss them off!

[FlatDaddy]

Weird, it didn't post when I first clicked it, so I clicked it again. Sorry.

[Lorry]

Aren't they annoying. Seems to be they are everywhere on here either pimping their art skills to illustrate your story or how impressed they are of your story. You'd think someone would tell them the difference between a poem and a story, so they could copy and paste the correct one into their unsolicited messages.
But I suppose it keeps them off the streets and annoying people in real life, that might just actually reply violently to them.
But while you are here can I just tell you about my new get rich quick idea that is definitely not a pyramid scheme? You can check it out on www.definitelynotapyramidschemehonest.com and you can easily apply by sending your mother's maiden name, name of your first pet and one of these completely ungenerated security questions that won't access your computer illegally and no way empty your bank account!
Or call us on ......... and hit 5, then pound then Oh, he's gone! 😃

[FlatDaddy]

Ha! nice reply. Oh, and I've got a place for your scheme, and YOU can pound it. :)

[Chris Shaw]

Can you hear me laughing :) I do like your gutsy little poem, particularly the final couplet. Happens all the time now on WC. Seems it is par for the course. The delete button comes in bloomin handy. Have a great day FD.

Chris

[FlatDaddy]

Thanks, Chris, and I've used that delete button several times -- once just before I wrote this text. It feel soooo good to do that! POWER!!

FD

[Chris]

Laughing here... so you are getting spammed here too! Welcome to the real world of ALL social media now. I average five to six new messages (email here - and way more elsewhere) every couple of weeks. After the first two - you can see the form format that is used. Some is from a local community college course, some - Nigerian Princelings and their attendants, need I go on? If ever "grains of salt" go to short supply, we'll be in serious spam hell!

[Gee]

A*****e indeed.
With regards to poetry these days methinks more and more folk will be presenting AI generated pieces as their own. Kinda makes one think, why bother!
Guess we must soldier on though:)

[FlatDaddy]

Thanks, Gee, Yeah, but hopefully the AI will get so smart it will eventually sue for defamation and 787 million dollars.