I’ve just finished, for better or worse, an adventure with Poetry.com. It started with the submission of a poem which even I never considered either good, or my best. The submission was given rave reviews along with an offer to publish it in print.
Given the old adage – “If it seems to good to be true, it probably is” I went with it out of curiosity. I am now the proud owner of a copy of “A Surrender to the Moon” where said submission is prominently feature as #1 page 1.
Startling enough to prompt some serious investigation, it took a bit to realize how it could be accomplished; my copy is as original as every other copy whose buyers are featured as #1 on page 1.
I’m still not sure exactly how I feel about that, one of a kind can often be of value simply for that reason. I’ve no hurt pride or feelings (though I have found that there are some of those out there, about this particular idea), I was pursuing it for the sake of curiosity in any case.
To put a final touch on the adventure. I was approached a second time for a poem by the same folks, with the same – “You may already be a wiener” followup to buy into the production and a request for a repeat of the biographical information to accompany it. This was what first got me looking more carefully to begin with. The second submission goes as follows:
Whisper
Life’s over when it’s over;
Like a song`s final notes it sometimes lingers
Long and bittersweet,
Like a song`s final notes it sometimes lingers
Like a long and breathless whisper.
Life`s over when it`s over;
Like a song`s final notes it sometimes cries
Slow and quiet murmurs,
Like a song`s final notes it sometimes cries
A long and breathless sigh;
One last breathless whisper for all that`s past and done.
The mildly irritated bio went as follows;
I write poetry because its there, if I don’t its never born. For me a poem is a visitor with a life of its own, that graces me with its presence, briefly, and then moves on.
Which is how my relationship with Poetry.com will unwind.
It has been interesting, but I don’t think I’ll submit the proofs this time.
Thanks folks, but I think I’ll take care of it from here.
It ain’t like its the passing of dreadnoughts.
Heart full'a rain
Yes well i am 16 years old and I just had my poem “truly deeply” pulished in “A surrender to the Moon”. I was quite mad because everytime i would get excited about how my poem was published, my mom would put me down by saying it’s a scam. I too was featured on page one. I guess it didn’t really sink in, but ya i would consider it a scam. They charged ME to be featured in their book. I personally think it should be the other way around. Unlike the comment written above, my pride was hurt. They again I was a stupid teen who needed a reality check. I think it would have been cool to publish this, us free of charge, and make this a reasonable price. But I guess that’s just their way of making money! Whatever, it was something I had never expirienced and it was a fun ride
— Jenna G. 23 08 2005 - 03:58 #
— Rick Silletti 23 08 2005 - 07:16 #
— Rick Silletti 23 08 2005 - 07:26 #
My pride is incredibly hurt. I was so excited to be chosen as the page 1 poem. I now feel like a fool for telling family and friends how “well” I had done.
— Beth 18 11 2005 - 19:59 #
Beth, that’s the general tone of what I get from most folks, it reminds me somewhat of “Dare to be Great” from the 60’s. In the end there were some that were seriously hurt by it. If you Google these folks you see some mention of legal action suggested in the past. They do ,however, continue to do what they do.
— Rick Silletti 18 11 2005 - 22:34 #
I came back to get the title of Jenna’s poem to see what page number it was in my book and you know there is NO poem in my book called “truly deeply” AT ALL. Is my poem “Our Song” in your copy of the book?
— Beth 18 11 2005 - 23:46 #
No, nor was Jenna`s.
If you would like me to post it here I’d be happy to – Jenna choose not to.
...note that also strangely absent is a table of contents
— Rick Silletti 19 11 2005 - 01:21 #
My poem “The Invisible Band” was also featured on page 1 in my copy. I don’t think that it is honest by poetry.com to do like this, they are trying to make you feel special so that you will continue to write with them and paying for it! I will not write anything else for poetry.com.
— Henrik Westdahl 12 12 2005 - 12:52 #
Im 14 years old, I was 13 when I published my poem, Shame, I could barly aford to get MY poem published, and the book MY poem was published in, they asked me to go to Washington DC and I didn’t have the money, but they didn’t care, they would just open the spot for someone else. I just feel stupid now.
— Meghan Maynard 2 01 2006 - 06:01 #
It was your poem Meghan, not theirs, they missed out!
— Rick Silletti 2 01 2006 - 06:49 #
Well, i have to say that i understand what all of you are saying also, but, i to would like to give them the benfit of the doubt,and i understand how people do feel because your putting time and work in to something that you not might only be good at you want to share it but make money to,not that money’s everything’s but you need it to, and and to live the most,and it cost money to do all of this to and when you don’t have that it’s harder yet,so we all go on and hope people like it and someone would ask us to work for them to, but god know’s and that really all that matter’s the most and people that we know that are good and honest,ect. But, i do have to say that knowing them awhile they seem to be nice people and that would help you out,but wer’e all still learning know matter how much we know! and we can learn the littlest thing to but doe’s that make us less smarter? no!not at all, if anything wiser and to help people and to learn from each other and be wiserand to belive in our self;s and suport everyone,and to know that wev’e already made it!when we are good people and we do our best and when we are christan’s and we may fall to along life’s way, but we have to keep the faith and belive in ourself’s to and knowone personal now but feel bad for those who are out to cut other people down when most of all the other people are the real winner’s,but that’s a book by it’s self. thank you! Tcglenburnie
— tcglenburnie 4 01 2006 - 01:16 #
I’ve mentioned elsewhere that I never did anything I didn’t want to do, but many react in a negative way to what they feel is a less than candid representation.
They feel foolish! – is that a good way to feel?
— Rick Silletti 4 01 2006 - 02:17 #
To whom it concerns I was excited to have my poetry on the first page. Also I was proud because I really enjoyed writing and I also went to one of the conventions they had it was a great experince. There was people there from all walks of life and from other countries I felt honored to sit beside them I may have not won the money , but it was still a great thing I thank the poetry.com for encourageing me.
— kathy brashear 5 02 2006 - 05:28 #
In the end, I guess, people keep writing.
— Rick Silletti 5 02 2006 - 17:29 #
My poem “Waiting” was also on the first page of my copy of A Surrender To The Moon. I knew something wasn’t quite right when they charged me a fortune to buy a book with MY work in it but I had no idea they were putting everyone on the front page. I prefer honesty to the front page.
— Rhonda 25 02 2006 - 23:10 #
I assumed, given the price, that most of what I was paying for was the choice of seeing myself in print. Curiosity as to the real name of the game is what kept me in thru the first purchase. My own submission on the lead page was pretty much enough to get me back out, it just didn’t make sense.
Honest criticism is the only kind that seems of value to me, and the lead page thing, even if it is easy to do, just isn’t what that’s about.
Thanks Rhonda!
— Rick Silletti 26 02 2006 - 00:53 #
I was wondering if anyone saw my poem, “Inevitable” in “A Surrender to the Moon”. I did find it quite odd that poetry.com wanted ME to pay money to be featured. They made me pay quite a bit for a book which wasn’t worth the money put behind it. The fact that the book was different depending on the purchasee suggests a lack of consistency in poetry.com’s mannerisms. I was talking to some other people who have sent in poems to the site, and some of them told me that they had been published in the book; yet when I looked into the book for their poems, I did not find squat! This began to infuriate me. Why be CHARGED and even ASKED to be part of the book? Sometimes one isn’t even IN IT! I barely had the means to afford the book in the first place; I had to have my mother purchase it (I didn’t get much of any spending money for myself at the time). Some people, I believe, have spent some serious money just getting into a book which may not even display their work to EVERYONE who buys it. I remember receiving e-mails about going to an awards assembly in which I would be able to present my poetry and receive an award, but it would have cost me hundreds of dollars to even receive the award! Now, people, where the HELL do you have to be to PAY for an AWARD, something GIVEN to YOU?! These facts have convinced me to come to the conclusion that poetry.com is guilty of bad business practice, and possible fraud. What are your thoughts on this?
— Paul Nelson II 17 05 2007 - 13:00 #
The only positive reactions I’ve gotten are folks that have stuck through the full ride, and I think some of that, at least, is out of a desire to appear otherwise than foolish, even at the expense of fooling oneself or others.
— Rick Silletti 17 05 2007 - 22:53 #
you know.. i was so proud of my poem on the first page of “a surrender to the moon”.
I felt like i had done something wonderful. My mother loved the poem and wanted a copy to keep for herself.
Imagine how betrayed i felt when i found a copy of “surrender” on ebay and got it for mom, only to find when it arrived that my poem was not in that copy! It realy hurt… and i feel so stupid now. Anyone want to go in with me and look into a lawsuit?? I feel like they should be punished for shredding peoples confidence and dreams….
— Jonathon Brady 30 10 2007 - 02:02 #
I took a flyer in Surrender out of curiousty, I really didn’t spend much; but I do still keep my foolish article as a reminder, and I’ll admit I still kinda like it.
I’ve come to believe that Poetry.com is a scam – plain and simple, but if one looks carefully you will find it a very careful scam as well. A lawsuit will likely only get you some advice. “buyer beware!”
— Rick Silletti 31 10 2007 - 14:56 #
I understand a lot of your anger. I was extremely frustrated by the fact that not only did I get scammed into buying a book, but also “awards” that celebrated the “merit” of my poetry. After my experience with Poetry.com, I have been greatly disheartened and slightly reluctant to pursue my dream of becoming a published poet. Thanks to Poetry.com, I have lost faith in my ability to write good poetry.
— Kimikisu 18 01 2008 - 07:38 #
I fell to the trap as well. What’s worse is that you send a draft in, then they’ll send it back advising you to edit it and make sure everything is checked. So I made a proper spelling adjustment, nullifying that it was ready for print. When I got the book, sure enough it was on the 1st page, and you can totally tell it was inserted in there like a “glue-in” and the worst part was, that spelling error never got fixed. As a young teen, I was hurt. I’m not saying this as a whimp, but they made it sound so special and legit. I still get mail from them about my “achievements” etc. and I get sour for awhile. arrrg that poetry.com
— Anna 17 05 2008 - 00:25 #
I’ve learned since my initial experience with these folks that they have a great many mimics on the internet, it’s too bad because that discourages people – don’t let it discourage you.
— Rick Silletti 17 05 2008 - 00:59 #