How in the world would an author survive
Without the benevolence of this mind-hive?

You’re the best best that could ever be best.

The kindly friends who read in advance
All the terrible words we thought, perchance
May  somehow a story derive.

Oh with such patience they read through our prose!
And gently all the plot holes help us to close
With a generous reading of our every word
Nary a complaint to be seen or heard
As they love our hero and their foes.

What? No, you fools! Are you f***cking blind?
I couldn’t in a million years cut that line!
Sure, to you it doesn’t  make sense

Or is it just me? Just me?

And sure, it might certainly read as quite dense
But I assure you that was by design.

No, don’t you see why I need this part?
It’s where the hero unburdens his heart!
Speaking of which, I think mine is breaking
Each red-line remark a part of me taking
Indeed, I’m coming apart.

FINE, I guess what you said’s kinda true
I guess I just needed another point of view
And I guess this joke’s kinda funnier  now
And the pacing is sharper–holy cow
Okay! Go on! You do you!

Say what? You liked it! Oh, thank God!
I thought for sure you thought me a clod.
No, you were right, darling, of course
No one wanted seven pages of discourse
On the exact implications of a nod.

Beta readers! Healers, and sowers of strife!
You hone our thoughts like a stone does a knife
Even though your words render us low
So, too, do they cause us upwards to grow
Bringing our stories to life.

Like staring into the sun that warms us. ❤