Being a writer and a poet, you must grow thick skin; be able to accept criticism. Either you will fall to pieces at the first rejection and give up, or you will take that experience and move forward, learning as you go.
I've been pretty fortunate with my poetic endeavors. Yes, I've had more than my fair share of disappointments, but the good has far outweighed the bad. It is such a joy to read a comment on a piece of your work stating how beautiful it is, or how it touched someone so deeply, but to read that someone just couldn't grasp the meaning, or, "I could tell it wasn't a good day for you," well, that's a hard pill to swallow.
If we do gain some recognition from our work, it is now our responsibility to share what we have learned with our up and coming writers and poets. Suddenly we have a few little "proteges!" They now come to us for answers to their many questions. Now we are the ones giving critiques to their most precious work, work they have labored over for hours, and some for days on end. It's frightening when suddenly thrust into that most sensitive position!
Each and every day is a learning experience in the life of a writer. We must take the good and the bad we receive, put it all together and make it something worthy of the eyes and heart of the reader. Not a small challenge, but one we take on all for the love of the art that lives inside us.
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