I have a friend that saw four lines of a poem written on a small rock in a gift shop with credit for authorship listed as anon. He used those four lines as lyrics in the second verse of a song. It's obvious the words are from the poem. It's a fairly long poem but the first verse is quite famous and quoted in many different formats. I've always advised to change those lines but he hasn't felt the need to do that.

Is it Plagiarism or Inspiration?


Here is a posting of the poem and how a funeral service instructs a family can adapt and personalize it for use in a specific funeral.

"This is another very popular and flexible poem with words that are easy to adjust, lines can be added or removed, a name could be inserted to make it more personal and all religious references could also be removed if required."


"If tears could build a stairway
and thoughts a memory lane
I'd walk right up to heaven
and bring you home again"

Funeral Helper


But then today, I found this post by Ann Parlett:
Poem Author

Of course there's the story of Lennon and McCartney setting in front of a framed Victorian circus poster from 1843 that John Lennon purchased from an antique store and transformed the poster wording into song lyrics. This authorship of Lennon/McCartney is similar to me to the unknown author of the poem above. (that would be my defense anyway);)


How many songs from the 50's-60's talked of the girl putting on her red dress to party? How many songs say I love you? Every country song today plagiarizes pickup trucks, beer, country girls, acoustic guitars, tractors, guns, riverbanks, country roads, cowboy hats, boots and either George Jones, Merle Haggard or Hank Williams.


This topic actually tracks closely my latest non-published project that will likely go as far as my last 10 or so non-published projects but I think it could generate some interesting conversation. I may start a new thread so as to not disrupt this one.

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