My encounter with poetry.com
Ok, I am a college educated student graduated with honours, and I got scammed
When they accepted my poem as "semi-finalist" I suspected the following:
1, They were after the money, and sell books.
2. Publication depend on the ordering.
3. They'd have hardtime marketting the anthologies.
4. Book will sell 600 copies with 600 authors purchasing one each.
I was willing to overlook all the above aspects if the selection process was genuine, I was offered publication in two books and I bought both of them, $140.00...(Vanity really does impair reason)
I did a bit of research and saw that they advanced everybody to semi-finals, it felt like a slap in the face. LOL...so i wrote this poem and submited to it.
Poetic license granted by the power that be,
Certifying my talent is rare, exceptional and free,
Honouring me the chance for the world to see,
The extraordinary talent displayed by me,
I felt the blood raging in my caffeine-intoxicated vein,
I felt my head inflated to the point that I felt faint,
I forgot the sages’ teaching that vanity is a sin,
And threw caution to both the wind and the dustbin,
I looked at the “poets’ proof” again yet again,
Finally a poet - all doubts slain,
Until my niece who is in her second grade,
Showed me her poet’s proof with smiling shade…
It was embarrassing, least to say,
It was humiliating, all the way,
For the price of a bottled wine,
Anyone can get a publication for 49.99.
So I am staring at the stars again,
Mourning for my pride slapped then slain,
Divine punishment fell furiously from the roof,
As my poet’s proof politely went poof!.
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