The Poetry Contest That Hunts For Desperate Writers

Many of you have likely seen the following contest “Free Amateur Poetry Contest $10,000 grand prize, Enter Now!”, and you have most likely sent off your poem and received a letter back stating that your poem will be published. You are just one of the many who have become the prey of poetry.com.

I have had first hand experience with them. In 2000 I sent one of my poems “Angel in Heaven” to Poetry.com contest and received their notification that I would be published in an anthology to be released that year. To date that poem still has not been published in their anthology, because I refuse to purchase the book.

A Google search for poetry.com will pull up several warnings about the company. They have now gained a national reputation for preying upon unsuspecting victims like myself. They have brought so much publicity that 20-20’s show did a documentary on them in 1998 , where a bunch of second graders submitted poems and poetry.com announced that they were winners.

Every poet who enters poetry.com's contest will receive a notification, that you will be published and that you are a semi-finalist. In their introduction letter they state that you are not obligated to purchase their book, however the only way you are published in the book is if you purchase it. They state that your poem was chosen on its unique talent and artistic visions. The truth is you were chosen because you are an unsuspecting victim and you want nothing more than to see your poetry published.

They tell you that you are one of the few chosen, when truth is everyone is chosen. Now technically they do publish the work that they promised. However your poem is only available in the anthology if you purchase it. In every case that I have read on the internet, each poet received the same letter. They were all highly praised and offered the chance to purchase the anthology. If you have chosen not to purchase the book, your poem will be postponed until the next anthology.

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