I received this email today:
Dear Piscesgirl80:
The editors of "Literary Magazine" would like to use "Your Poem" for an upcoming issue. But we have a question: (topics of poem) are promising, but there have been several books written on the subject, including one by Famous Writer. We would like you to reassure us that this is entirely your own work. If you can do this, we feel the poem would add just the right touch of lightness to our magazine.
Sincerely, the Editors
I would like to be happy that they seemed to like the poem, and that I have the first acceptance I've had in awhile, but I feel vaguely hurt that I've more or less been accused of plagiarism, and suddenly doubting myself--did I read a poem of Famous Writer at one point and did it seep into my subconscious, etc?
Dear Piscesgirl80:
The editors of "Literary Magazine" would like to use "Your Poem" for an upcoming issue. But we have a question: (topics of poem) are promising, but there have been several books written on the subject, including one by Famous Writer. We would like you to reassure us that this is entirely your own work. If you can do this, we feel the poem would add just the right touch of lightness to our magazine.
Sincerely, the Editors
I would like to be happy that they seemed to like the poem, and that I have the first acceptance I've had in awhile, but I feel vaguely hurt that I've more or less been accused of plagiarism, and suddenly doubting myself--did I read a poem of Famous Writer at one point and did it seep into my subconscious, etc?
I'll start celebrating now.
