The Gauntlet

Being a creative writer,
or so I've learned,
is a little like
being thrown into
a gauntlet, with the mere hope
that you will be noticed
for your bravery.

Sometimes, perhaps most times,
it isn't even about talent,
but about the people
you can impress, and it won't
even be about what you do
in that gauntlet.

You can literally kill yourself
in there, and then maybe
they'll talk about you,
but then, half the point
will be kind of missed, won't it?

So tell me, why does it have
to be that way?