Poetry is the journal of a sea animal living on land, wanting to fly in the air.
—Carl Sandburg

For a publisher, I am careful in my approach, treading the line between stalking and wooing.

I make thoughtful preparations. What do they like? Query letters and six poems? Fine, I'll do that. A full manuscript? Of course, I would have it no other way.

But I guess uppermost is, does my ms fit in with their sensibilities? Are all my favourite poets housed within their stable?

Moments of carelessness, like pressing your suit too insistently, have resulted in a polite 'I just want us to be friends.' If I had not been so hasty, I would've seen that the publishing house only preferred blondes.