Complaint Review: POETRY.COM - AKA THE INTERNATIONAL LIBRARY OF POETRY - OWINGS MILLS Maryland

The ILP funcitons as a patron of the Arts. They are like the MeDicis. The goverment will not give outstanding & award-winning poem writers like those of us supported by the ILP any grants. Thet are only interested in hackneed cranks like Maya Angelou and Robert Frost on Inaguration Day. Hey Maya, I know too why the caged bird sings! She's singing "get me out of this cage so I don't have to listen to any more of your poems!" If you people want to be recognized like me or my collegues, then go to a fine university like me and spend years of your own sweat and tears learning to kraft beautiful poetry.

I have submitted 4 different poems to poetry.com and although all four will be published and I have not ordered a book on any of them, I did have one that continues to go on. I have recieved a certificate to frame called the "Editor's Choice Award". Also it has gone on to be not only published in an upcoming book called, "The best poets and poetry of 2003", but it also goes on to be published in a special cd set called "the sound of poetry" set with background music of which they have only chosen 30 people to be a part of. This website is designed for those who would like to see their stuff in print and are willing to pay for it. But their contests are real.

You all need to grow-up! Everyone knows when you get anything published, there is a cost. You ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PURCHASE. I have purchased 5 books and have been thrilled with them all. I will leave them to my children and their children to enjoy and remember me by. I did receive my rewards and they were impressive. Another memoir to hand down to my children. Now if your a well known person, such as Oprah, of course you'll get immediate recognition or Hillary Clinton. But I for one am very pleased with the product. Did I win a prize, NO! Am I happy with the purchase? YES! Did I go to the convention? NO! Too much money. That does'nt matter, I am enjoying the product and am proud of my accomplishments. You all take care and I'll check back from time to time to see where this is going. Theres NEVER any guarantees of Winning. If there was, we'd all be millionaires!

Regarding the rebuttal: When poetry.com told me I would be published, I called for details. They informed me their publisher is Price Waterhouse Coopers, www.pwcglobal.com. I was also told that Barnes and Noble would carry the book, or order it at my request. I never ordered the book, so I don't know. But it's easy to find out. Any bookstore should have a list of every book published by a recognized publisher... I am interested to know if the poems of those who don't pre-order the book are published. FOR REBECCA: Unsubstantiated claims only give a bad company good PR. You sound bitter that you never won money from them. You can't honestly believe that you're guarenteed to win just by entering, nor that your claims will be accepted as fact just by stating them. Poetry.com may be fraudulent, but you don't provide evidence or a compelling argument to prove it. "I KNEW WHE I RECIEVED A LETTER THAT SAID THE WANTED TO PUBLISH MY POEM IT WAS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. FIRST OF ALL THE ADDRESS THEY PROVIDED WAS 1 POETRY PLAZA, I KNEW THAT HAD TO BE FAKE." Did you check into it? Mapquest.com shows 1 Peotry Plaza, Owings Mills, MD, 21117, to be located on a small road intersecting Cronhill Dr. and Crondall Ln. in a small Maryland town. This address exists, seriously, look it up. You admit you didn't order the book, so how do you know they are trying to rip you off? It would be better if they sent a free copy to those who were published, but they don't, nor do they promise one. "THEY ALSO OFFER TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE GOING TO RECIEVE AN INVITATION TO THE 2003 SUMMER CONVENTION AND SYMPOSIUM TO BE HELD IN WASHINGTON D.C AUGUST 15-17." So what? Did they invite you or not, what's your point? They invited me, and, of course, it costs money to attend. Call them, they'll invite you, I promise they want your money, scam or not.

I have entered the contest at poetry.com. Supose to have my poem in their poetry book called. "Letter's From The Soul" came out in Fall of 2002. Why isn't it on the market. I can't find the book any where. I've looked. I am a very sceptic person and I would not send money to them unless I can see my poem in print. Thank You,