pardon me, my poem wasn't lost

an argument against the lazy and disingenuous practice of "found poetry"

pardon me sir,
but where'd you
get that fine
piece of poetry?

I didn't know I'd lost it,
but now it's found
in something
that doesn't
belong to me,
married to something
that never
belonged to you,
combined in ways
unintended
by either originating
party ...


or worse,
it makes someone think
you've created
something
out of nothing,
when really,
you are no different,
than the guy
who found my wallet,
kept the cash,
and spent my money
on me.
 

Reviews

[Lyn Anderson]

I was a little appalled that teachers are promoting the practice of "found poetry" in my kid's school. My daughters already struggle with why it's not okay to just copy large chunks of research off the internet and insert it in their projects -- now they can take other people's work and smash it together in collages and call it their own?

[barleygirl]

Sounds pretty ridiculous to me. It reminds me of when I first started hearing my favorite old classic rock-n-roll songs being given a similar treatment, as a crutch to some rappers who can't come up with anything original on their own. It seems to be a cultural norm these days. Regardless, I love your poem & it expresses the situation with a nice sarcastic bite. A much-needed commentary.

[Kesha]

I could understand if this practice of "found poetry" was being applied to a High School writing class, and having to site your sources in a Bibliography but teaching it to young children who don't understand what they are doing could be perceived as wrong is downright shameful. Write a very stern letter to the teacher/principle ;) lol btw I loved the piece you wrote on it. It's very true and speaks volumes.

[Lyn Anderson]

That is exactly my point. These kids are way too young to do this. My kids can write there own stuff -- so when the teacher asks where they found it, they can say, "in my head".

[Kesha]

Yes exactly, they should be teaching them to come up with their own ideas, and writing. They're young, their imaginations can travel worlds. Children are much more creative than adults are. They should be trying to extract that, not teaching them different ways to "cheat/be lazy"

[NoelHC]

Well, at least those doing "found" poetry aren't just trawling the internet, stealing entire poems, and then passing them of here as his own, and then self praising his brilliance with dozens of fake accounts set up by himself. ; )
Mark Twain said “There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely; but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.”
However I tend to agree with you, pasting chunks of others writing in your own and not attributing it, or setting it off with quotes or italics or some method is close to plagiarism and is serving neither the original writer or the person claiming it is done by them is dishonest.
Well written BTW.

[Lyn Anderson]

I agree that we do borrow ideas from others, and I do know that, properly attributed "found poetry" is not technically plagiarism. However, teaching it in school, especially to very young kids, is lazy at best, and too complicated a concept to your average 8 to 11 year old learning how to research and write while respecting copyright.

[Jon Roggie]

You can't just copy. You have to give some credit, and use your own words. This puts me at odds, because I enjoy changing old stories.

[Lyn Anderson]

I understand that, I do. My issue, as I have said, is primarily to do with the age of my kids being taught this - it is difficult for them to understand the nuances of such a concept before they have even developed their own styles.

[Jon Roggie]

Being currently frustrated with my niece's school, I admit I have no answer.

[d]

it fascinates me that i find that i agree yet disagree but that must not be taken as any kind of an arguement. the appropriation you speak of is clearly wrong, yet i know i was born into an ongoing society that practices that now and most likely always since the beginning. so much the child hears without even knowing and because it neatly fits into a genre it is called "ok" even at times "great". i have to say, the practice is truly a compliment to the predecessors. by the way, i really enjoy the poem and it expresses so nicely. sorry for my comments - you just got me thinking. but poems that get me thinking are great!

[Lyn Anderson]

I understand. My difficulties with the practice have a lot to do with the age of my kids. Teaching youngsters to do this doesn't help them develop their own skills, and makes it tough to discern wrong from right, not to mention the misuse of the original poet's intention.

[??????]

You see this in lazy writers now a days. I swear sometimes people are blinded by what beauty really is. I cant say I ever learn the gift of poetry in school. But wasn't meant:) I have a great teacher already:) Yep some may know her here smiles. She goes by Kl Goode. Anyways that is what I love most about being the Unknown Poet not one can take credit when I am dead and gone. It will be left within a wind to flourish about. And true some will know whom that person was as a poet a friend and that is all matters to me:) Great write:)

[Lyn Anderson]

Thanks very much, and I am honoured you should feel that way about me. I am but a student -- just a little quicker than some to catch a minor error is all.

[??????]

Your welcome,ahh but a very smart student:)

[Bacchus]

wth-
well you introduced me to a new idea here... "found poetry"
just, just- really?!

good write- and educating us all on this idea- totally wrong!

[Lyn Anderson]

While it is "legal" if all the authors are given credit, I think it's tough enough to teach kids about plagiarism while doing research, let alone muddying the waters with this practice.

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Plagiarism is just as much a robbery as a man holding up a bank.

[Lyn Anderson]

On some levels worse, I think. Thanks.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i agree...putting together lines already there to make a new poem...is like trying to pass off a used car, with old parts, as brand spanking new.

i'm not much for that "found poetry" thing myself...

"something borrowed something blue, but certainly not new"

[Lyn Anderson]

Yes, I am not into it at all, and I don't approve of it being taught in schools.

[Matching Socks]

Well regardless of how you and I feel about it is an accepted form so long as you play within the rules.
No different than collage art or songs/music being sampled in other songs/music. It's nothing new.

If it's for profit then the contributing artists need to receive their share of profit (unless in public domain) and always (even if public domain) must credit original author's work as a contributor.

I've seen it done here in two ways. One poet posted poems as found poems and had credited in the notes the authors for each specific stanza or lines.

Another person (she who must not be named lest all hell break loose again) outright stole bits of other people's poems to paste into her own with no credit whatsoever given to artists she stole from (and yet, despite those poems being removed or revised to delete stolen bits she is still here and active-go figure).

I don't like found poetry but I have sampled here and there from songs or stories. I would prefer my kids write their own but maybe the teachers are trying to ease them into it to raise interest in poetry or make it seem less daunting? or maybe the lesson is that feelings or thoughts are not original but each artist's presentation is? I would ask what the learning objective is.

I don't think it's wrong necessarily but if the teachers are promoting this they just need to do it responsibly by talking about ownership, copyright and plagiarism along with the creative aspect.

My two cents.

[Lyn Anderson]

I agree there is a legal way to do the wrong thing. However, this is not university or even high school age kids we are talking about here. They are little kids --who are expected at 9-12 to discern the difference between "found poems" and cutting and pasting up other people's work. I just think it's too grown up a concept, and there is no benefit to the kids -- it's not like it promotes their own independent creative thinking.