Culture: A Letter To People Who Ignore Me At Poetry Readings

I Know You See Me

By Christine Sloan Stoddard

Dear People Who Ignore Me At Poetry Readings,

I know you. You know me. I know you know me and that you know I know you.​ We've read together before. We've had our work published in the same magazines. Our work appears in some of the same anthologies. Our books are sold at so many of the same venues. So why are you pretending not to know me? 

Is it ego? Do you think you're better than me—or anyone else for that matter? Do you think we don't belong in the same reading?

Is it stage fright? Are you too nervous about reading that you can't focus on basic niceties? 

Did I do something to offend you? Could we talk about it?

Next time we see each other at a poetry reading, or anywhere really, let's say 'hi.' It's literally one syllable and makes all the difference. 
​
Sincerely,
Another Poet And Human