On January 10th of I received a letter in the mail from the International Society of Poets, 1 Poetry Plaza, Owing Mills, MD. 21117, stating that it is a "Rush Delivery" item. I figured it was important, relating to my submissions to Poetry.com, and quickly opened it.
Inside, I found a letter stating that I had been nominated the "Poet of the Year 2005". At first I was astonished. My co-workers, as well as myself, were excited and thrilled about the news. But, I decided to come home and do some research on the people, since I really didn't have any information on them. I didn't have much contact info, so I simply got online and went to searched for the "International Society of Poets". My search results where asonishing.
In my search, I found literally hundreds of sites that where complaint sites for ripoffs done by the "ISP" to thousands of undeserving poets, even young children and their parents, who had helped their children to submit poetry to the "ISP", expecting to be entered in a legitimate poetry contest.
They claim that if you come to their "Convention", you have to possibility of winning $20,000, but for me that would just barely cover the traveling expenses, driving, hotel accomodations, convention fees for myself and my fiancee, etc, and from what I have heard you have to pay for your awards. How rediculous. Who ever heard of being presented with an award, and having to pay for it later. Its all bullcrap.
If I do attend, and they send me a bill for whatever I am presented with, then they are going to receive a bill from my attourney... Its that simple.
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