Hi, I sent some poems to a journal that is published twice yearly. What they are seeking seemed to be right in the wheelhouse of my style and content, but the rejection says this: "We favor poetry of imagery over direct statement or concept." Without statement or concept, how is it poetry? Lines of imagery have to go somewhere to be a poem, right? Do they mean they just want imagery that gives you a feeling but no journey? Just feelings floating as beautiful images without cohesion? (I think I've got another poem here! lol) I'm very confused, maybe someone here can help me understand. Thanks! - Linda
Sounds like they think you are being too overt. They didn't say no statement or concept, but "direct" statement or concept. Sounds like they want you to make your point using imagery, allusions, and the like instead of stating it outright. That's my guess.
I don't know if it's too late to get this advice, but I once had a fiction professor who always told us to "show, don't tell". In other words, instead of outright telling your reader that you were stressed, you want to make them feel your stress using imagery from the 5 sense. What does stress smell like? Taste like? Feel like? etc. You want the reader to get the idea or concept by showing it to them and making them experience it. A reader won't get that when you simply say, "I was stressed", they won't feel the elephant that was on your chest or damp tingle of your palms or taste the metallic nausea in your throat or hear the buzzing thoughts in your head... and so on. Your stress was a angry baby dragon unleashed I your head that wanted to get out, it was not simply stress. Lol. I hope this is helpful for something in the future, even if this post came too late for what you were posting before. Good Luck!
