you took my words
passed them off as your own
with a few changes
used them as from your lips they came
shocked is not strong enough
to express how I felt
plagiarizing poetry -
have you nothing better to do
with your time
but steal thoughts of others?
a part of me
a big part of me
is hurting
stealing is a crime
thievery is not legal
yet you have no qualms
about doing this
more than once
shame on you
Author notes
PLEASE COMMMENT ON WHEN FEATURED: I WILL RETURN THE FAVOUR.
This happened to me last year. Another AP poet informed me that someone had taken two of my poems and passed them off as her own on another site, as well as poems of others on here as well. Really floored me - never happened to me before. Said she wrote Loving a Drunk and Troubled Teen
Then on, October 5, I find out from the same AP poet that I have again been plagiarized on another site too.
How I feel about someone doing this to me.
A contest entry
- The Largest Contest On AP!!!! by Midnight-x-Rose.
3000 points, ended August 26, 2149 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
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Stealing is a crime but its the nature of the internet. Anyone can take anything and claim it is their own. Very difficult to dispove too unless you keep the original files.
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I hate plagarism, it's stupid and just shows they don't have the talent to write something of their own, ridiculous.
Anyways yeah, definately well put, sorry that someone stole your work...Gits. -
Aye, I am commenting a second time on this poem and find it very fine for Poetry Planet.
A good reminder about being honest. Thank you very much! I shall post this poem today! 
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It's not thievery as much as it is dismemberment...or evisceration...or something like that.
A personal touch always helps with the flow, and this one's no different. Nice read. -
Honest penning - you have personal experience - where it hurts most and nothing changes when the issue is solved - still tampers with your mind. Well said.
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Devastating
I have had my work copied, when I was working on a factual piece for an historical society. It is wrenching after all the research. -
It's a shame, grannyeri, a damned shame. Things like this infuriate me. I have had work taken from me before, and it makes me sick, knowing that someone would try and take ideas from someone else. Your poem here has addressed a real issue, and I commend you for it.
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Such a shame when your words, your thoughts; your very heart and soul are stolen by another person...I don't understand it...
Very well written, my friend -
I think you just confirmed one of my biggest AP fears...scary. And the world is so big - who knows how often this actually happens. *shivers* Anyways, I can tell you wrote this with all of that shocked and hurt emotion. It comes through pretty strong. The one line that tripped me up was "used them as from your lips they came" - something about the syntax or organization of it is awkward. The only other suggestion I have is that you might possibly find a way to end a little stronger than simply "shame on you." But overall, definitely emotional. And I'm still scared lol.
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very good
an issue that needs attention -
Gosh!!!!!!! Stealing!!
Anyway, I'm glad that she was removed from DeviantArt, hope that had made it up to you...
About your piece, I like it so much, so expressive, thnx for entering & Best of Luck
GloriousGift
Heba -
Ruthless, poem stealing, horrible person! I cant belive such a person (or ANYONE really) would do such a thing. It's a horrible crime of the soul, and of morality.
On another note. Wonderful poem to express how you felt. -
That just burns me up when people do things like that.
its one thing to be INSPIRED by someone else's words. I have a couple of poems like that..where a line I read somewhere inspired me to take it in a new direction.
But to just blatantly steal them? So much emotion, energy, time, and TALENT goes into art of ANY kind. Just because you are unwilling or unable to produce something of value does NOT give you the right to steal!!!!
*obviously, that's a general "you"* -
It's not only stealing words, it's stealing heart. Shame on anyone who does this! I am so sorry this happened to you. It probably happens more than we know. My only comfort in this is knowing what goes around comes around, they will get theres! Many Blessings, FAH
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OH MY! Quite shocked to hear this...Plagiarism should not be done at any cost ...I do not see any reason to justify it!
So sorry for you...The poem expresses your plight well... Guess I would have been as distraught as you about it, if not more...
. Rewarded 4
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I am appalled
Plagiarism, is soul destroying, and extremely worrying,
Our poems come from the heart, and for someone to steal them, is the lowest thing any human can do.
Nansie -
Sorry, I clicked not realising that I had already commented on this poem.I hope there hasn't been a recurrence of the stealing, Take care, Ros
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I'm terribly sorry that someone has done to you. I'd have extremely furious if someone had done that to me. Youe emotions practically ooze out in this poem.
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How terrible for someone to do that! And how shocked you much have been! This poem is really evocative... the anger and pain is so clearly presented. I especially liked the last line, it was a real punch for the reader. Great write.
. Rewarded 4
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Wow this is such a great write. I can feel your angry with the words you choosed. As to the person that did this shame on him/her. To steal anothers word or thought is to me by far a crime that should not be accepted. Thanks for sharing this with all of us here at allpoetry. I wil keep my eyes open for this person on other sites. Keep on writing
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How pathetic that someone can have so little going on inside of them that they can't even write their own poetry, and what joy can they get from touching others who read it if it isn't their own? The person who stole your poetry will probably end up in jail for identity theft. What a loser. I'm glad you're publicizing this.
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This has never happened to me, as far as I know... You must be so hurt. Good poem, good to see this has not steered you away from the site.
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Poetic Bandits Reading List reward: 3 applause.
Thank you for your participation in the group!
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Beyond Perfection...
I can imagine how hurt you are.Its really not acceptable for someone to steal others work and present them as their own...as if it was their creativity,their imagination.Nonetheless,I'm glad the girl got what she deserved and I got to read another brilliant poem of yours.It was free verse,which I'm not used to yet it was so simple and poetic.Your words were captivating and your flow was smooth and vivid.
Keep your pen flowing...
Seher
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nice
i now what you mean -
I can feel how hurt you are.So sad that people do not feel that they have enough talent of their own that they have to take from someone else.On a positive note, you are certain in the knowledge that your work is excellent.
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yes it happens I would assumemore then we might expect and this is well written rant on the thievery that yo endured
. Rewarded 4
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!!!!
what a bitch. i thouroughly enjoyd this poem. loved it. but i only have one applausythingamabob left... still, better then nothing, right?
. Rewarded 4
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nice poem a about plagiarizing this is the first time to read a write about this topic.
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This has happened to me in another site. I can feel what is in your heart, believe me. I don't think anyone but a writer or an Artist could understand the deep anger and sorrow felt when someone takes your words, your creation and passes them off as their own. I rarely click on featured poems. I should do that more often, but I saw the title, and just from seeing that, I was compelled to come and speak to you. I know you here on AP as a very nice, talented person, and I felt such sadness upon reading this. I recall when it happened to me and a few of my friends at the same time. My friend happened to be doing a google search and cameupon his own poem under a girls name on a Spanish poetry site. Upon looking further, saw mine and 3 others that we knew. We immediatly started to contact the admin at the site and the poet herself and were told that there was nothing wrong with "borrowing" anothers words. That if we publish them on the web, they become public property....Needless to say, we were irate. They took a couple of days to remove our poems from the site and alot of pressure from all of us, but I literally could not breathe and calm down until my words were removed from her name....I just want you to know how sorry I am that his happened to you. I know that a poet's words are a piece of their heart
Lynda
This has given me an idea for a contest, so I will send you a link if you would like to enter....
. Rewarded 8
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I am shocked
I never imagined anyone would steal someone elses creativity-that is awful! Thanks for the warning, I must be a bit of an innocent, truly never occured to me...I feel a bit horrible now.
. Rewarded 4
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This is really real. This is really good. I am glad I stopped in for a read. Keep writting for it becomes you.
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Shame on her indeed! I have had someone do the same to me, on a poem from my book in process of publishing, and she published it on a self publishing site! Her site pulled her book, thank Goddess!!! Anyway, I am sorry she did this to you, a well respected member of this site. Glad she has been slapped on the wrist, but the "rape" lingers in the heart. I am glad you chose this as a release. Bravo to you, and double shame on her!
Blessed be,
Billie Jean
. Rewarded 8
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Scary
Isn't all our fears as poets that someone who is too lazy to do the work will take what we have worked hard at? So I really felt for this poem and know how you feel. I thought word wise it was good, every word in its right place, nothing too long or short (meaning lines. I thought the title could be a little more emotional but I cant give you a replacement because i can't think of one, but I do feel a different title would be good.
. Rewarded 8
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That's...awful. I'm kinda devastated that that happened. I know that people do that all the time, but I guess I thought people on here would have more class, more respect. Great write.
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Didn't want to waste your points, but I had to come back to this one. Again, it's the kind that sticks with you... I hope that no one else has their poetry stolen.
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That is a definate skeevy shame and she deserves deeper punishment then getting kicked off a web site, I wrote a lot of poetry when I was 15 and introduced one of my close but dim witted friend to the web site in which I posted sure enough soon after I showed it to her, she developed her own screen name and posted my poetry reworded a smidge I mean how stupid can you get? It's all very stupid though, plagarism in my oppinoin. sorry to here someone tried to steal your poetry, glad they didn't succede.
. Rewarded 8
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mery good
always an enjoyable read -
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i know how you feel. i wrote a poem the other day about the death of my child and this morning i found out that a FRIEND of mine took and and told ppl she wrot it for me!!!!! its funny because i have the date on the page i wrot and she told them she wrote it for me last night!!! haha
I really love this because it real feelings. i just...cant believe ppl when they still others works!!!!
Vary good!
Diamond -
you preach it
i have had so many problems with ppl believeing i stole someone elses work even when they sat next to me and watched me write it and i have had ppl to say they would like a copy to show there parents and the neext thing i know they are given 100 dollares for winning some contest and it makes me sooooooooooooooooooo mad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
. Rewarded 6
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so damn true
what is up, when i was going to junior high, thier were these dumbass kids who thought they had a band, and i used to write in these little black bound notebooks i used to get at the bookstore for like five dollars, and i used to always have them stolen, like when i went to the bathroom or whatever, and i would lose alot of my work, tha'ts one of the reasons i started comeing here, but it's just all so crazy, finally someone writes about it, keep up the great write, your sure to see me commenting on some more of your stuff some other time-------------nathan ritchey -
Oh my! That is awful...to think people just shamelessly steal others poems and try to pass them off as their own. They should be ashamed.
Great work on this. Makes me feel a little paranoid about sharing on the internet though...
. Rewarded 4
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Wow, that's just a terrible situation. I do, however, like how you've come out of it with this piece of heartfelt poetry. It's a strong piece, and I can sense the emotion; the frustration, the confusion...the anger.
Excellent write, but a shame it had to happen.
. Rewarded 6
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I can feel how hurt you are.So sad that people do not feel that they have enough talent of their own that they have to take from someone else.On a positive note, you are certain in the knowledge that your work is excellent.Thankfully there are not too many like that person around.Your works are unique to you, your words and are very special.Good luck to you and take care, Ros
. Rewarded 8
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OMG
I can't believe someone will do something so horrible to anyone! I am so sorry it happened to you. Well I am glad though that she has been caught and banned from that site. Serves her right for doing such a despicable thing.
Hugs
Himler -
So sorry this happened to you. It's a good thing someone found her out. One thing I've learned to do is to publish, even if you go to LuLu or somewhere like that and publish your own work. It will help you prove you wrote something if you ever need to prove it. Again, so sorry this happened to you.
~Lyrical
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i hate people that do this! ive seen people plagarize some of my friends things as well. its horrible, and rest assured, if i ever find someone plagarizing my work ill make them regret it...
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Wow, I really felt your anger. I know how that feels, it's truly a hollowing, just shocked feelng. I think you conveyed it quite well. I hope whoever that was gets what's coming to them. Stealing someone else's words has to be the lowest of the lows. Thanks for sharing and wonderful write.
-Mandy -
The title caught my attention right off the bat, and once I read it, I really felt your anger, and your hurt. I know that when I write anything, it's very personal and intimate for me, and so when I post it, I'm making myself vulnerable. I imagine it is the same for you, and so I know that had to have been so horrible for you. I'm sorry that it happened to you. I hope writing this helped you to feel a little better. It's an emotional piece, it makes a strong point, and I think it's a good one.
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I totally agree that plagiarizing is a horrible thing to do.. I don't understand how someone could take another person's work and claim to be its author...
I'm glad that person was caught and banned from deviantART...
I hope this doesn't happen to you again!
And I also hope that many more people are made aware by reading your powerful words in this poem...
Thanks so much for sharing!
Keep up the excellent work!
Annie
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Very sad someone should be so desperate as to steal poems to pass off as their own. I'm sorry they took your wonderful words and I'm sorry for the one who took them. May they find the words hidden deep within their own heart.
. Rewarded 4
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very strong work
i am sorry to hear that someone had to resort to stealing your poems instead of using their own mind to create their own has she been removed from AP yet? i will check that site out i do not know if anyone has used any of mine or not but i sure hope not and i pray it doen't happen to you again either good luck in this contest -
i feel your emotion in this piece, and although that usually that enhances a poem but this time I think it got the best of you. Their was little flow or anything poetic in the piece, it was just a declaritive speech. I know your trying to make a point but I think that point would ring louder and have a greater effect if you would have spun it more poetically with your words. Sorry about what happened though. I view my writing as a intricate piece of me so I can only imagine how you feel.
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(((Little tip for those just browsing poems -- hit the "random" button instead of the "featured" because then it doesn't cost them points if you'd rather not comment. No one will whine, then. hehe )))
This whole situation is really sad! And it goes to show how scary these types of websites can be. My friends always tell me not to post my best poems, because there's a chance they could get stolen. But a creative site like this should be a safe place, a place where people want to write their best -- not a place of fear :-(
It's a really good thing this thief was caught. -
excellent
Such a nice poem and directly pointing out those people who just copy someone’s work or fruit of labour. It is certainly a big shame for those people. Imagine your effort doing your own masterpiece and yet someone will just get it and claiming it is their own writing or shall I say masterpiece, work of art or whatever. Keep it up Granny!!!
. Rewarded 6
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I have read this before but as it is in the reading list for a group I am in I decided to click again, it was not through the featured box though.... it is a write that had to be written and sadly you were taken advantage of...
Karen -
please count me among those that had already read and commented
I am sorry for clicking away your points....I hope you have healed some from this betrayal,
reenie
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WOOOW...ITS REALLY SAD THAT PEOPLE DO THAT,,,I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE DO IT THOUGH. I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE IS CAPABLE OF WITING POETRY WHETHER ITS FROM SMALL RHYMING ONES LIKE ROSES ARE RED VIOLETS ARE BLUE OR THE BROADER MORE MEANINGFUL ONES LIKE TO BE OR NOT 2 BE....I MEAN THIS IS VERY UNFORTUNATE AND IM SORRY THIS HAS HAPPENED TO UAND I HOPE NONE OF MINE OR ANYONE ELSE'S HERE AT ALLPOETRY GETS STOLEN EVERYONE HERE HAS A GIFT AND I BELIEVE U SHOULD BE ABLE 2 SHARE THAT GIFT W/O IT GETTING STOLEN...BUT UR POEM IS LOVELY AND U EXPRESSED THIS ISSUE IN TRUE POETIC STYLE
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AMEN TO YOU!! I had all of my poems stolen on another poetry site. I wound up erasing my page and starting over here. It's really a raw and vulnerable feeling. I hope the situation gets resolved
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Oh gosh, thats a big blow. That was so wrong, people should'nt do that. It's a good thing they got removed from the site. I am sure you work just as hard as the rest of us do, and you don't deserve for people to be stealing like that. I will be sure not to read there poetry, cause they may have more that they have copied, you hang in there and keep up the good work you do. I'm really sorry this had to happen.
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woah... thats so bad... I have had that happen to me, but with a quote I made up myself, and I only told one of my friends... I THINK I KNOW WHO IT WAS... lol
well, I hope you got your poems back!!
It's good that they banned her/him...
~Pandy~
. Rewarded 4
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Hi there. I feel bad for you. Just think if someone caught this happening to you- how many people it is actually happening to, and no one knows about it. Imagine of you saw your words in actual print, and it was too late to do anything about it. Imagine if the person who stole your stuff has more powerful and staus than you, so you are not believed, and have no proof. This type of thing devastates many people. I wish there was some way to stop it, but I don't know that there is. I was in a situation in fifth grade that stopped me from writing poetry again until I was 28 years old. I wrote a poem, and my teacher told me I couldn't have written it, because it was 'too good'. He accused me of plagerizing, and it simply wasn't true. A classmate of mine on the other hand DID plagerize a very well known poem, and he got his published, and never found out. Imagine the scale of this happening to much lesser well known poets. I think a lot of plagerizing happens in small publications, and no one ever dicovers it.
. Rewarded 8
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I think stealing somebody else's work is one of the worst crimes, especially for a writer or any type of artist because they put so much creative effort into it. You make something, and somebody else takes the credit for it. It's not fair.
However, I would kind of take it as a complement. I mean, this person probably loved your poems so much. They wouldn't have stolen a crappy poem. It's still wrong though. I'm just an optimist. ^_^
This is a good piece of work too. It's so simple, yet effective, although the last stanza takes away some of the personalness (is that a word?) of it. You know:
"stealing is a crime
thievery is not legal"
That's an obvious thing. It's very general and broad. Not very personal. Otherwise. good job.
EDIT: haha. somebody right below me wrote the same thing ^_^ woops. -
Mmmm.... I like this.... But....
Here you made this a problem with the law instead of a destroying of your emotions. Like when you stated that:
"stealing is a crime
thievery is not legal"
That took away a bunch of emotion for me because it was a fight for and against the law. Which dehumanizes the matter... Just a thought. Keep writing!!!
~Asa of the Poets of Justice -
I'm sorry this happened to you. I don't know what I'd do if somebody stole my poetry (don't try it, anyone!) but on the bright side, some one found your poetry to be so good he had to steal it.
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I hate people who do this! ITs so stupid! I'll use lines from a song to add effect to a poem, or a line that particularily strikes me, and I probably re-word it, but still...plagiarizing is so...bah! idiots.
I'm so spamming that person! okay, well, I won't but I'm giving them a piece of my mind!
~VoT
oh, and its a wonderful poem!
. Rewarded 6
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Well I went after her but the cage was empty...the bird was gone...
Damn...I do hope this will be just an incident by some crazy person...
I am sorry it had to be you...
I do hope you get all the points you want to spread this horrible act.
And I do hope it will be a once in AP time thing...
XXJeannette
. Rewarded 6
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Liked-ed it
interesting subject. I'm very sorry that someone stole ur work. It's horrid when someone has the nerve to take someone's hard work and pass it as their own. Very good.
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Very eloquently put. This is a good piece, it is very violating. I'm sorry this happened to you.
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Hey, this is an awesome poem that you have here! I can't imagine how people can just do that! Honestly, some people need to get a life and find something else to do instead of taking credit for other people's work! Geeze, that really annoys me! I'm sorry though to hear that that person took your work! They probably just really stink at writing poetry and had to take your's instead to make them look good! I agree that you handled this situation with real class! Anyways, I liked this poem a lot! Awesome job with expressing yourself and I am glad that I was able to read this!
. Rewarded 8
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Being one of those whose words were stolen by this person I know how you feel. If it is any consulation that person is now banned from deviant art
Ruth
. Rewarded 4
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that really stinks!
I am sorry to hear about this terrible experience you have had with someone stealing your poetry. I can't understand how someone could do that. You handled it with class, and putting the link in your author notes will really be an eye opener for that plagiarizing fool.
Good luck in the contest!
Ethereal One
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I'm sorry this happened to you. My fear of plagiarizm kept me from joining this site for a long time. I like your response, though. Maybe that jerk who stole your work will read it and repent.
. Rewarded 4
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