International Society Of Poets Check your facts before giving any money Owings Mills Maryland

All,

Thanks to the many posts on this board, I did not "purchase" a book with my "semi-finalist" poem published. I even submitted a poem about the international society of poets so perhaps they will publish it. Bottom line is watch out before giving any money to anyone or any business. I have learned the hard way on other ventures by not doing my due diligence.

Well the great day had finally arrived
And I was to publish some poems I derived
And so I picked out one of my best
To see how it stacked up against all the rest

And by and by a letter came to me
And it said a semi-finalist I was to be
And it looked good, even great to see what I wrote
Might wind up published in a book with notes

But, having been gone down a few roads not taken
I decided to look a bit further in the one I was about to go making
And I read all the stuff that had been sent
And decided to investigate further, before any dimes were spent

I looked for the angle of the company and how
They are making money greater then investing in the Dow.
And if you look and see you can have your poem published
For a mere $50, the book will be yours, not for rubbish

So the lesson learned is don't pay anyone first before you know all the facts
Too bad many of us fall victims to such traps
It is up to you to do the research and contemplate what is dangled
Before doing business with anyone, look at every angle.

Mark
Bluff Dale, Texas
U.S.A.