Writing Poems

I have been writing poems since I was a child. Reading them just as long. Recently I have compiled some of my poems that I have not lost and put it in one file. I debated whether to self-publish it on Kindle and let it go or trying to find someone to publish it. The first hurdle is to whom do I send it too. Trying to find addresses for publishers in Malaysia is quite hard. I tried one that I know the address to. After quite a while a letter of rejection came with an analysis that my poem are too raw, personal and not poetic enough therefore not viable to be marketed. So yeah, was prepared for that, art has always been a matter of perception, so I was ok with it, didn't really want to send it there because I don't think they would know how to appreciate or even want to court poets writing in English.

Then I tried sending to a couple that replied my email asking about who I can send my manuscript to. One wrote an unequivocal no we don't publish poetry and the other have not replied, not even an acknowledgement of receipt.

I am tempted to just leave it like I have been doing all this while. I don't need it published. The reason I write is because I have to, it is a compulsion and it helps me in stabilising myself. But it is a shame to have done all the work of nicely collecting it not to try to share with a wider set of audience. Someone once told me that reading my poems evoked strong emotion in her. That I have just the right expression that says what she wanted to say about a particular situation. Well to me personally that is what a poem should do, connect to you in such a way that what is personal to the poet become also something personal in you. So I guess I wanted to see if more people feel that way about what I write as well.

No matter I guess Of Thunders and Rainbows will just be in my personal narrative, for me to read when I need to remember.