I've won poetry "contests" before and they were just a scam to get you to buy a compilation book of all the other peoples poetry that they (the contest holder) said was good enough to be runner up or whatever.
Be very wary of this type of contest. 99 percent of it is vampire shit!!
I won a 'Woodie Guthrie' songwriting contest once a long time back in the comedy catagory. Don't remember what I won, but I got to hang out with a bunch of people I'd have been hanging out with anyway.
Somebody wins those things but I think it's the administrators.
Poetry .com is a scam....one of the bad ones too...
Anyone who submits writing to them is considered a "winner" and is informed that they will be included in a "Published" collection of poetry.....now the scam is that they give you the big "Hard Sell" on this coffee-table book....
Sheesh....
If ANYONE ever asks YOU to pay for publishing your work...music or otherwise....RUN away as fast as you possibly can....If someone believes in your work...you will not have to pay (not "upfront" anyways...)
Sometimes, there are clauses in publishing deals where the cost of recording a demo are taken out of the royalties....sometimes...you have to pay for the demo if you ask to regain control of your music from the publisher....it all depends on your contract.....and your lawyer...
It is wicked hard to get a good deal unless you have an established track record...I suppose it is just like everything else though....you just gotta be careful...ya know?
I know I got a little off-topic but....I was on a roll..ya know?
Joe