Today's poet

[Hes]

The Law of Copyright
(after Kipling)
by Wendy Cope
(not reproduced by kind permission of Wendy Cope)

Now this is the Law of Copyright – good subject for Poetry Day.
If you keep it some poets may prosper, in a modest and limited way.

And some of the people who break it have little idea of the wrong
They do to the indigent author who dreamed up the poem or song

That they put into print without asking, or perform in a theatre or hall
With an audience paying good money, while the writer gets nothing at all,

Or offer the world on their web-sites, assuming that poems are free.
They are shocked when you mention permission, aghast if there’s talk of a fee.

This is the law: the creator has rights that you can’t overlook.
It isn’t ok to make copies – you have to fork out for the book.

It isn’t ok to use poems on posters or cards or in shows
Unless you have asked for permission. You may have to pay through the nose.

But not necessarily. Try it. If you’re a good cause, or you’re poor
And unlikely to make any profit, the cost of obeying the law

May be negligible, may be nothing. It’s one thing to ask for a gift
And another to take without asking, and we call that other thing theft.

And poets they need to eat supper, and poets they need to wear shoes
And you’ll seldom encounter a poet enjoying a luxury cruise,

So remember the Law of Copyright, and make sure you do as you ought,
And if you read this and ignore it, I bloody well hope you get caught.

Ooooohh! Can...worms...opened!

Good point well made by Wendy (courtesy of XRunner). So folks...your opinions on this one?

Mine is that I agree with much of what she says. I also buy lots of poetry books, go to readings and buy poetry for my friends. However, I have not bought all the poems that I've posted so does that make me a thief? Hmmm...I also know that people copy my prints and post them on their websites...I am ok with that so long as they credit me as creating the images, it gives me exposure and allows others to discover my work and maybe they will buy some. (It does help that my images do not look even a third as good when photocopied or pasted as photos on the web, the same cannot be said for the written word). My thoughts are that this thread increased all of our interest in poetry and attracts many who are new to it. I know that I have bought books based on poems that I have read here and I am sure many of you have. The web creates new audiences and many of those will seek out poetry in the real world and hopefully buy some. Is this naive, me trying to assuage my guilt or the truth? (I think it is probably a bit of all three)

[Hes]

I can't even begin to comment on all the great posts tonight. There have been some absolute beauties. Going to have to read through them all again to truly appreciate them.

Herakles...Hestia is feeling much better now she has thawed out in front of her hearth! Motorbiking in this weather is miserable but at least I am safely home.

[freckle]

Ooooohh! Can...worms...opened!

Good point well made by Wendy (courtesy of XRunner). So folks...your opinions on this one?

Mine is that I agree with much of what she says. I also buy lots of poetry books, go to readings and buy poetry for my friends. However, I have not bought all the poems that I've posted so does that make me a thief? Hmmm...I also know that people copy my prints and post them on their websites...I am ok with that so long as they credit me as creating the images, it gives me exposure and allows others to discover my work and maybe they will buy some. (It does help that my images do not look even a third as good when photocopied or pasted as photos on the web, the same cannot be said for the written word). My thoughts are that this thread increased all of our interest in poetry and attracts many who are new to it. I know that I have bought books based on poems that I have read here and I am sure many of you have. The web creates new audiences and many of those will seek out poetry in the real world and hopefully buy some. Is this naive, me trying to assuage my guilt or the truth? (I think it is probably a bit of all three)

Hi Hes...i would echo what you have said, I have never bought so many poetry books in my entire life as I have since this thread has developed....

[XRunner]

Ooooohh! Can...hares...opened!

I also know that people copy my prints and post them on their websites...I am ok with that so long as they credit me as creating the images..

Now I have had to change my signature

[Hes]

Now I have had to change my signature

Ha ha...thanks XRunner but you can be exempt on this occasion, especially as you own a print of that image!

[N-dubya]

I agree with you Hes I too buy poetry books, but this thread has increased my awareness of other poets and as a result I have purchased a couple of books on this basis. Another point is Ted Hughes poem, Pike which I submitted last night I have copies of in three different books, but i copied and posted it from a website because I couldn't be bothered typing it all out.

[Alf]

When all the others were away at Mass
I was all hers as we peeled potatoes.
They broke the silence, let fall one by one
Like solder weeping off the soldering iron:
Cold comforts set between us, things to share
Gleaming in a bucket of clean water.
And again let fall. Little pleasant splashes
From each other's work would bring us to our senses.

So while the parish priest at her bedside
Went hammer and tongs at the prayers for the dying
And some were responding and some crying
I remembered her head bent towards my head,
Her breath in mine, our fluent dipping knives--
Never closer the whole rest of our lives.

Seamus Heaney

[Derby Tup]

Mild the mist upon the hill
Telling not of storms tomorrow;
No, the day has wept its fill,
Spent its store of silent sorrow.

O, I'm gone back to the days of youth,
I am a child once more,
And 'neath my father's sheltering roof
And near the old hall door

I watch this cloudy evening fall
After a day of rain;
Blue mists, sweet mists of summer pall
The horizon's mountain chain.

The damp stands on the long green grass
As thick as morning's tears
And dreamy scents of fragrance pass
That breathe of other years

Emily Bronte

[Derby Tup]

I hadn't spent an hour of my life reading poetry before this thread started nevermind writing anything. It has been a revelation to me and I have several poetry books now in addition to the Neruda one I bought someone else for Chrismas The fact that thousands of poems are available on the web with public access is fantastic

Ooooohh! Can...worms...opened!

Good point well made by Wendy (courtesy of XRunner). So folks...your opinions on this one?

Mine is that I agree with much of what she says. I also buy lots of poetry books, go to readings and buy poetry for my friends. However, I have not bought all the poems that I've posted so does that make me a thief? Hmmm...I also know that people copy my prints and post them on their websites...I am ok with that so long as they credit me as creating the images, it gives me exposure and allows others to discover my work and maybe they will buy some. (It does help that my images do not look even a third as good when photocopied or pasted as photos on the web, the same cannot be said for the written word). My thoughts are that this thread increased all of our interest in poetry and attracts many who are new to it. I know that I have bought books based on poems that I have read here and I am sure many of you have. The web creates new audiences and many of those will seek out poetry in the real world and hopefully buy some. Is this naive, me trying to assuage my guilt or the truth? (I think it is probably a bit of all three)

[Harry H Howgill]

Ooooohh! Can...worms...opened!

Good point well made by Wendy (courtesy of XRunner). So folks...your opinions on this one?

Mine is that I agree with much of what she says. I also buy lots of poetry books, go to readings and buy poetry for my friends. However, I have not bought all the poems that I've posted so does that make me a thief? Hmmm...I also know that people copy my prints and post them on their websites...I am ok with that so long as they credit me as creating the images, it gives me exposure and allows others to discover my work and maybe they will buy some. (It does help that my images do not look even a third as good when photocopied or pasted as photos on the web, the same cannot be said for the written word). My thoughts are that this thread increased all of our interest in poetry and attracts many who are new to it. I know that I have bought books based on poems that I have read here and I am sure many of you have. The web creates new audiences and many of those will seek out poetry in the real world and hopefully buy some. Is this naive, me trying to assuage my guilt or the truth? (I think it is probably a bit of all three)

It is one of those cases, where it isn't always easy to legislate for what is considered reasonable. Without our "theft" of these poems I would never have been introduced to so much great poetry which has led me to spend money on buying their work. That doesn't sound unreasonable to me, but is a tricky situation to legislate for.

You have an interesting point of view on this as you are in the position of the being a person who's work could be technically "stolen". (I'm also sure that an original will be of far superior quality to a cut and pasted version). It must be difficult as you will lose some control as to how the work is presented, but you are right also in that you will get increased exposure, and as long as you are credited correctly that seems ok, like you say. Have you ever had to ask anyone to remove a picture of your work from a website?

Morally I'm happy with what we do on here. Legally, I'm sure we are not strictly above board, but we'll keep on having fun until someone says otherwise.