houses too close together

houses too close together

pilfered enterprise

the poet's stash

diamonds uncut, unrevised   

stolen and sharpened

stoned syllables polished

in someone else's hands

magnifying glass sees the font lines

conscience blurs the lens

unhappy writers find joy in coveting neighbor's goods

bard next door moves out

thief dies unnoticed,

another suicide by pen

and even then,

he wonders if the ink is his own.

erin-cilberto

6/8/18

Reviews

[charlie]

Reminds me of Genesis 27. When Jacob knew himself too well, and then he had to live with himself for ever, and all his children endowed with faults that splintered from their father, too. And so it went, from son to son, branch to branch ... the human saga pock-marked with trespass.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your insightful feedback, charlie.
j.

[Onlyme]

Harsh reality of poets who cheat and steal others works.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Dee.
j.

[Lyn Anderson]

Never got the concept, taking credit for someone else's work. Shave 10 k off the marathon you didn't earn the medal. Shortcuts and thievery are especially unbecoming a writer. Lovely to read you again. Cheers.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Lyn.
j.

[Beccy]

I have said it before; a pointless exercise from the pens of those who only crave false praise.

You chide in a gentle and poetic manner, but the pen you wield is sharper than the knife.

Beccy.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Beccy.
j.

[송지ፏ..]

Nice, took me about three times to read it while looking up the words. It had a good flow to it.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for reading...
j.

[Chris Shaw]

How can they get any satisfaction when they know it is someone else work? Sadly it happens all the time on the internet. It is cheating.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, yes....i ask that same question...where is the real satisfaction...i like the line in Finding Forrester when William says.."you know when the best moment in writing is? it's when you have just written something and look it over the first time, before anybody else has a chance to tear it apart"
j.

[Chris Shaw]

I like that quote too. Reading the sunrise of your own words. There is a poem in that.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i bet you could write quite the poem with that line...go for it.

[Mrudula Rani]

A gentle reprimand for those who plagiarise! There is nothing we can do when someone decides to steal when we display our work on the site, is there?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, nothing...and i really don't worry about it much...i figure if someone does that, they sleep with that at night...or don't sleep.
thank you, Mrudula.
j.

[Mrudula Rani]

It's entirely my pleasure.

[Neville]

Tis a plague for sure & far from write... bless you and your pen my brother.... Neville

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Neville.
j.

[Stella Armour]

This plagiarism business is a curse indeed, and i do sometimes think i read my own words slightly turned around to fit elsewhere; but then as you say Jacob doubt creeps in and you have to think again.

Those with no originality to their work are not really poets after all they hide in dark corners like the shadows they are.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Stella.
j.