Entering poetry contests is one of the best ways for poets to challenge themselves while showing off their talent to write poetry in impressing fashion. Most serious and confident poets look for theses contests to enter. While it's a good thing that their seeking to enter poetry contests not putting forth their best effort is a bad thing. The eagerness to enter and win takes most poets minds off the most important thing which is writing a great poem. I've had the honor to judge many contests so I've seen how by just a few mistakes in a poem can turn a poem that could have been great into a not so good poem.