Sturgeon's Law

It's good, of course, to be able to personalize a cover letter when you send a poem packet somewhere--either by knowing the editor or having a connection with him/her--or at least use the letter to indicate you know something about the journal, whether it be that you have a subscription or that you at least read the samples on the web and found some similarity to your own work.

Do not, however, think it's a good idea to try to falsify research by regurgitating whatever's in the Poet's Market or Dust Books entry with no further effort--e.g., don't say "I would like to be published by the same journal that published" Poet X who was in the listing. If you're going to claim to be a fan of a journal, try to have at least one thing to say that a fan might know--something that you can't find on the website or in the market listing. And for God's sake, if you are attempting to bluff familiarity, don't get caught in a lie. I mind patently false research more than I mind a generic "Dear Editor" template letter.