Sheila K. Barksdale
Yours Faithfully, Caliban
Dear Sirs, please say if you would be disposed
To kind perusal of my ms (enclosed)?
I write to you from faraway (and let’s just say it’s tropical),
Am seeking now a publisher, someone not myopical.
1. The natty title- ‘Existence can be Bleak’
2. Theme- Coping in the Workplace when they make you feel a Freak
3. The well-wrought plot- a crazy boss, a real controlling jerk
who when his daughter meets a guy, things all go berserk.
4. I’m thinking of a gift CD (palm trees on the cover),
A 1000 Twangling Island Tunes should please the Music Lover.
5. No Author’s photo, please! I’ll mention now
I’m rather coy about my low-set brow.
I’ve written twice to you, it seems to no avail!
And now my home-made ink has vanished in a gale!
I hope this charcoal writing does not smudge or fade
And sorry for the coffee stains (the lighter ones are lemonade).
Hope this bottle reaches you, the ms stays dry,
I’ll comb the seashore daily and look for your reply.
For now, it’s back to grunt-work, have to put in extra hours,
Boss is yapping on ‘bout his precious cloud-capp’d towers.
Page(s) 17
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