Help Fight Poetry Scams

The History:

It is believed by thousands of amateur poets that they have been exploited by the company known as the International Library of Poetry and its subsidiaries. The ILP and its subsidiaries which include Watermark Press, poetry.com, and the International Society of Poets have a history of luring amateur poets into entering poetry contests. These contests are run several times a year and claim to offer up to $61,500 in prize monies. Once a contest is entered, the poets are then encouraged to purchase merchandise featuring their poetry. The merchandise includes sweat shirts, tapes, mouse pads, laminated wallet cards, greeting cards, tote bags, and plaques. The poets are accepted for publication in anthologies which sell for between $30 and $60+, if not more. Each poet is nominated for membership into the International Society of Poets. To join they must pay an outrageous membership fee. Each poet is invited to attend a big poetry convention in Orlando, Florida. To attend they must pay between $400 and $500. This does not include food and lodging. After all is said and done, these poets end up spending a load of money without ever receiving anything in return. They do not receive royalties on the sales of the anthology that their poetry appears in or on any merchandise sales that feature their work. To that end, many of these poets are now feeling as though they have been scammed out of their hard earned money just to make someone else richer.

(Note: The above information can be verified at www.poetry.com)

The Questions:

Is it really fair for a company such as the ILP and its subsidiaries to make money off of these poets without ever sharing any of those profits with the poets who did all the work? Without the poets the ILP could not exist, so why is it that they continue to take advantage of all of these poets out there without ever offering any show of appreciation? Is it unreasonable for the poets to expect some royalties from book sales or even some free merchandise or books as a Thank You for your efforts?

Petitioner Statement:

This petition was drawn up to give poets and their supporters a collective voice against the ILP. Having read the above information, or having experienced some of what has been shared thus far we hope that you would sign this petition and make a strong statement against the ILP and its sister companies. By collecting these signatures, it is my hope and the hope of others who have also been a victim that the ILP will be forced to at least listen to the cries that have been going out for several years now and stop ignoring the fact that they are walking all over the poets who keep them in business. It is my hope that this petition may also be sent off to someone who has the authority to formally investigate the ILP and its motives. Maybe we can finally get the ILP to share some of its good fortune with those poets who have been keeping them alive. Maybe we can all make a difference and keep others from being used and abused by the ILP in the future. Please help us support the creativity of our brothers and sisters in poetry past, present, and future.