Me? A plagiarist?

'was thinking about the issue of plagiarism and was reminded of an issue I faced in the past in one of the sites that I blog in. This experience left a bad taste in my mouth but I gleaned something good out of it -- two pieces of poetry ~~ LOL!

Here is the blog post:

Oops...I did it again...borrowed another photo

On Valentine's Day I borrowed ConeyIsBabe's photo in her blog about Jack, the dog. Today, a day after April Fools' Day, I borrowed another picture from miteehigh's blog Photographic memoriesand wrote a short poem about it that I called, Tunnel.

I hope you guys don't mind me going around "borrowing" your pictures....thanks a lot!

Comments:

miteehigh (the original owner of the photo)

I can't speak for how others feel about your appropriation. But if you will notice my photograph has an attribution in the lower right hand corner of the image. That is there not by mistake.

The polite thing to do would be to ask those of us that produce original work for permission to use our images for your purposes. That is something that you did not do. This process of asking for permission is in keeping with copyright laws (which I take quite seriously).

Your poetry should stand on it's own merits.

My reply:

I apologize.

Yes I did notice the attribution and I am sorry I had it cropped as I superimposed the text.

Please know that with my effort to ask permission is a genuine acknowledgment of your original work.

It won't happen again.

I promise.

I will put this down and maybe redo it the proper way.

Thank you, Miteehigh.

Destiny823:

Since what you have done is illegal, might you consider taking down your blog and reposting it showing only your poem. You clearly know what you are doing. Your poetry is lovely, it can stand alone.

My reply:

Done, Ma'am.

I did right away after I read Miteehigh's comment.

Thank you.

Txlady4u:

I agree with miteehigh in that any original item placed in a blog by another person is theirs and permission should be requested and received before you or anyone else uses it in anyway. If their name appears it is theirs be it a picture a poem or other form of expression.

Lothringia:

I'm very surprised that you are coming under attack for using that photograph when you had already given full credit to its owner.

In the past I have exposed two serial plagiarizers here at this site that regularly presented other peoples' writing as their own and accepted full and wholesome praise that the articles evoked. I got viciously attacked by a great many here for doing so.

Coincidently, both of those word thieves were compatriots of yours.

My reply:

Thank you for acknowledging my effort to give credit to the photograph's owner.

I feel that I know the plagiarizers that you are talking about because they also blog in the same other place I blog in.

Halfjean(that's my SFF handle)

I am saddened by this turn of things because as a "writer" of sorts, I also do not condone plagiarism. Since I started writing poetry, I have never posted anything in my blogs and claimed ownership of anything that was not originally written by me. I used to write poems from whatever inspiration that came to me but lately, I find it more personally rewarding for me to write poems based on a photograph I see/saw/have seen. This is one of those photographs.

Let me say here that I do not have intentions of claiming ownership of something that is not mine. I saw the photo, I liked it, I was inspired to write a poem about it and thought I'd share, like I did with ConeyIsBabe's Jack photograph. I have already acknowledged my mistake in cropping out the attribution -- I apologize sincerely - I just hope that I would be given credit for calling the attention of the original owner of the photograph in my blog- I should have waited for permission first before I posted the poem but I didn't. I'm sorry.

Rest assured I won't "steal" photos again.

ruggedandtenderyho:

It is a great poem.. And I do see your inspiration following or being inspired by pictures at this point of your writing.. It is so good.. I understand things triggering our minds. You are a wonderful writer.. Thank you for sharing as I enjoy reading...

My reply:

Thanks, rugged.I appreciate your and the others' acknowledgment of the poem. It was a sudden burst of inspiration that made me write that and disrespect for the original owner of the photograph is farthest from my mind.

Just sad that some others saw the act as illegal and worthy of reprimand, when I have, in fact, properly acknowledged the owner.

Now I feel my admiration and appreciation for the work of art was misplaced.

Bijou624:

Hi Halfjean: I think you had good intentions about using these two photos as you probably just wanted to acknowledge to Coney and Mitee that their photos inspired you as a writer. They were both very good photos each in their own way. I think that it is perfectly legal to copy any photo we find on the internet, but I'm not sure. I have to admit though that it would give me an eerie feeling to log in here some day and see one of my photos in someone's blog. Nice poem by the way.

My reply:

Thank you!

I, too, am not sure about the legality/illegality of what I did but my conscience is clear that I did not do it to enrich myself/extract money out of it. It was just a simple poem I wrote after receiving inspiration seeing the photo.

ConeyIsBabe:

I was very flattered when Halfjean borrowed my photo and wrote a very cute poem about Jack and his Toys. Clearly, Halfjean only used the photo of Jack for the purpose of enhancing her poem and she credited me as the photographer !

my reply:

Thanks, ConeyIsBabe! Yours was the first photo I ever found on a blogsite that I used for my poem. I was very glad how you so graciously acknowledged.

Most of my stuff I took off google images but many others are from the portfolio of my photographer-nephew.

Tranqfull:

Funny when I reported to SFF abuse that my picture was being used in a vicious obnoxious blog comment and asked it be removed resulting in the blog owner and commenter who posted my picture being banned I was accused of everything including jealousy and called every name in the book.

So its ok for some to copy pictures but not ok for everyone .. oh yeah the old depends on who it is rears its head .

Some of you need to examine your conscience !

My reply:

I can understand how ugly it would feel finding your picture being used in a "vicious, obnoxious blog comment" because it happened to me too in the past -- with ugly reference to the memory of my deceased mother -- But then...I did not use miteehigh's picture in a "vicious, obnoxious" blog post so I really feel bad that my act is being branded as illegal. I may have cropped the attribution out but I wonder if that unintentional act should merit all this "talk" when no one could ever say I did not acknowledge the owner.

Really, it baffles me.

lothringia (again)

Mountain, molehill, conscience, brain, arrogance, stupidity.

Any chance you will be inspired, to write an original poem, by my input on this post ?

My reply:

a mountain created

from out of a molehill;

something unexpected

I am confused, still.

an innocent attempt

to create poetry;

was viewed with contempt

made some people angry.

i didn't delay

i listened to social conscience;

put down the picture

the poem, they say, is the essence

a part of my brain

could never understand;

that part of others' brains

that saw it as illegal, in their parlance

shall I call it arrogance?

protectiveness out of place;

I gave myself solace

if it were me, I'd accept, with grace

was it, on my part,

an act of stupidity?

to use people's online stuff,

to create simple poetry?

I value my work of art

just like anybody;

from now on I will stay away

from the high and the mighty.

Ola2006

I personally feel that as long as recognition is made to the "author" of the material, be it poems, articles, and/or photos, there shouldn't be any big squawk about it. If there was monetary issues involved (royalties), then definitely permission should be granted first.

Too many times I have seen blog articles and photos that have been presented as the bloggers original submission when not, and I don't approve of that.

I feel you are to be commended for your efforts to make right, what you feel may be a wrong. As far as using stuff here that another SFF'er originated, its probably best in the long run to get their permission first. I think most, as ConeyIsBabe said, would be flattered that something of theirs inspired you.

my reply:

Thank you for this. You've said what I wanted to say.

miteehigh (again)

It seems that there is some confusion about use of copyrighted material. It is not enough to appropriate and then give credit to the originator of a work. The appropriation without permission and consideration is illegal in and of itself.

A original work does not need identification of the originator affixed thereto in order to be copyrighted. It does not need to be listed with the regulating agency (in this case the US copyright and trademark office)in order to be copyrighted. Any arbitary and unapproved appropriation is illegal.

ltw222: (quoting the poem I wrote on lothringia's challenge)

Hi Halfjean,

Lovely poem and you have certainly shown us your creativity. By the way, it is my belief that the first poem up there about the stairs is ORIGINAL too. Some might be blinded by their prejudice and failed to recognize that. I, too, like poetry and write a wee bit. I hope you are not too put off by this episode and carry on writing and, if you want to borrow another photo, you can get it from photobucket, a photo sharing site. I had borrowed from there and I always acknowledge the owner. I am a member there but I don't think one needs to be a member to borrow. There are other sites that allow you to borrow photos too as well as some that does not allow you to do so. Once again, I like your, shall I say, spunky poem.

I blogged here once too but am now on a siesta away from here and I think you already know the reason why.

I would be visiting on and off though to read some of my friends' blogs as well as enjoy your poetry.

All the best.

Lee

My reply:

HI, thanks for your comment.

Actually, yesterday after putting down the image of the "stairs" leaving only the text of the poem, I went to google images and true enough, I found a hell lot of similar pictures that I think would elicit the same interest in me to write the same poem had I seen them before. I wish I had, so this wouldn't have happened.

I keep my poetry in some other place (what I post in other places eventually get to one other place I consider my archives.

You can search for: Chronicler on the Loose in case I stop posting here

Nice meeting you.

the wisdom of the elf

"I am zen,
listen to me y'all,
I am not just another
brick on the wall"

"at peace with the world
at peace with myself"
" but who are you kidding?"
said the voice of an elf

"i see zen stones
in japanese gardens
calm and serene
tensed nerves, they soften"

"stones clean and smooth
one on top of another
with a small network
of ripples on the water"

"this zen stone arrangement
as rough as it can be
anchored on two slabs
that both look wobbly"

"a balancing act
of the stones by the beach
when here comes a big wave
won't these stones get leached?"

"no they are not ripples
that i see on the water,
but rough little waves
'hope not a tsunami starter"

"i acknowledge your wisdom
Wise little old Elf
what do you suggest I do
off the cliff, throw myself?"

"No, not at all,
dear stony creature
do not yet end
your promising future"

"polish yourself
let the water cleanse you
gain foothold and be strong
find your niche beneath you"

"you'll never reach perfection
that much is expected
but you'll be an inspiration
to the once weak, now strengthened"

Delilah's Jewels: A Memento for Khel

a repost from May 30, 2010

I woke up to the sad news of my employer's passing. I always start my day with checking emails and this morning, I received an email from her husband telling me of the sad news. His words: "Jean, Khel passed last night..." I trembled and cried...
My employers are husband and wife Jerry and Khel from Utah. I started working for them as a virtual assistant in October 2009 and we do the office thing online --many, many miles away from each other. We have very good working relationship and they are the best online employers I have ever had so far. Khel and I hit it off well from the start. But the fast-paced, good working relationship I was enjoying with them quickly had to slow down when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The work we were doing together had to be set aside some as they got busy trying to find the right natural way to cure her illness. They travelled out of state often to visit doctors and from the audio journal she kept that she asked me to transcribe for her, I could sense how stressed she was. Bothered, worried, stressed, sometimes frustrated -- i sensed all of it in her recordings and my heart went out to her.
On Mother's Day, I sent her my poem "The Dream", which I wrote for my mother --which I regretted doing but it was too late to take the email back -- that poem spoke of what I remember about my mom who passed away when I was three years old. Khel has a son around that age too and I realized too late that it would give a very sad thought to her. I quickly sent her a follow -up email and told her that I just wanted to send her the sentiment of loving a Mother. She emailed back and very graciously thanked me for sharing. She did feel sad about "losing the mother at an early age" -- but she was in touch with reality and fought her battle with cancer openly and bravely.

Khel is an artist. One of her works of art is a big figurine she calls "Delilah" where she had embedded trinkets and glued them in place on the figurine's body. The result was awesome. When I visited her website, I saw pictures of the trinkets before they were attached to the figurine. Three pictures of different trinkets on the table and I was inspired to write a poem (as I usually do get inspired at the sight of a nice picture).

Here is that poem.
I am glad I wrote this poem and it will always serve as a memento of my friendship with my boss, Khel. Her sufferings are over. May she rest in peace.



Delilah's Jewels


keys, coins, pieces of brass
pendants, chains, that shine like glass

belt buckle and brooch, a lopsided earring
a thimble it is, not a tiny bell ringing

a Christmas tree beside a symbol of infinity
odd shapes and sizes, trinkets blinking at me.

i see a letter J, and a padlock do you see?
pray tell, where to find the lock's matching key?

flowers and leaves, no they are not green
because they are coated with a metallic sheen

a bolt, where's the nut?, an upholstery tack
is that a wagon, maybe there's a grass shack?

hoops and buttons and an artist's brush
i bet the brush would make the hound dog blush

go fish

the artist's hand