2006-07-15 - 12:05 a.m.

This is amusing: I WON AN AWARD WHOO HOOO!!! Of course that's if I want to pay ONLY the nominal fee of $169...

The latest poetry.com money making venture:

"I��m sorry you��ll be unable to join us at the upcoming International Society of Poets�� Annual Convention and Symposium to be held at the legendary Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, July 20 �C 23, 2006. It promises to be our largest and most prestigious poetry event ever, as we are celebrating our 20th anniversary. As you already know, you were selected to be honored at this event, and we were looking forward to you reciting your poetry in front of more than 2,000 attending poets and celebrities from over 50 countries.

However, because we don��t want you to miss out on this amazing opportunity altogether, we have arranged a way for you and your poetic accomplishments to be part of this event in a most important way, without you actually being present. Although you��ll be unable to participate in the convention contest (you must be able to recite your poetry in front of the contest judges to win), you can still receive your Outstanding Achievement in Poetry Award (a custom engraved 13-inch tall crystal statuette), and your bronze Commemorative Award Medallion. We will also include one full year of membership into the International Society of Poets for 2006 and a subscription to its magazine, Poetry Today. All you have to do is allow us to present one of your poems at this year��s convention in your place.

Your Poem Can Still Be Read at the Largest Gathering of Poets in History

It��s so very important for us and your fellow poets to hear your poem read with the same passion and emotion which you intended when you wrote it. This will allow your poetry to receive the exposure and recognition you deserve. All you need to do to have your work presented is submit your poem quickly, and then I can email you a special access code where you can call a designated phone number and record your poem in your very own voice. Imagine all of the attending guests at this years convention will hear you read your poetry. If you choose not to record your poem, we have arranged professionals to do it for you.

Now, let me tell you a little about the awards and special items you will receive once you confirm your participation by sending us your poem. You will receive all of these items immediately following the convention:

�� Your Outstanding Achievement in Poetry Award ($300.00 value) is a magnificent work of art made from imported crystal; it is hand-engraved and mounted on a three-tier solid marble base. This will be the first time ever we have bestowed these crystal awards. They have been created by artisans that we commissioned specially for this year in honor of our 20th anniversary. This impressive 13-inch award is so valuable and fragile that we have designed a special carrying case to ensure the protection of your prestigious award.

�� Your bronze Commemorative Award Medallion ($40.00) is a forged bronze medal with intricate detail that��s brilliantly displayed on a colorful nylon ribbon.

�� Full one year membership in the International Society of Poets for 2006-2007 ($60.00 value) entitles you to a personalized membership card, an embroidered ISP patch, an ISP window decal, a one year subscription to Poetry Today magazine, and entry into exclusive poetry contests for members only.

_________all that��s required for us to immediately send you all of these awards is for you to send us your poem that will formally be presented at the convention. Your convention poem can be written on any subject, in any style, and can be up to 40 lines in length. Because you will not be present, we must ask you to send a nominal fee ($169.00 plus shipping and handling) to cover the expenses we incur presenting your poetry, and to cover the costs to insure and ship all of these extremely bulky and heavy awards to you. For this small fee you will receive over $400.00 worth of ISP membership materials, including your lead crystal Outstanding Achievement in Poetry Award!

________ my purpose for making you this offer is for you to see for yourself what an amazing organization we are. I sincerely look forward to meeting you in person and having you read your artistry in front of thousands of fellow poets who attend this live awards event every year. Unfortunately that��s not the case this year, so we are trying to do the next best thing. I��d like to offer you one more special gift when you send in your poem and confirmation form, because I would really like to see you in person. I will send you a coupon for $100.00 off a future convention. That brings the total value for this offer to over $500.00! We are making a tremendous effort to include your poetry at this year��s convention, and we hope that you will return you confirmation form and poem as soon as possible.

Click here to submit your poem.

Sincerely,
Steve Micheals
Convention Chairperson

P.S. Your lead crystal Outstanding Achievement in Poetry Award, bronze Commemorative Award Medallion, embroidered ISP patch, and ISP window decal will be shipped to you by Federal Express Ground service. Your subscription to the award-winning Poetry Today magazine will arrive separately. All of these items are accompanied by a 100% money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied for any reason simply return them within 60 days for a full refund, no questions asked."

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