G-D
Grant me sanity
to accept the people
I cannot change,
courage to change
the one person I can,
and the wisdom to know
it's me.
~by Gregg Rowe~
G-D
Grant me sanity
to accept the people
I cannot change,
courage to change
the one person I can,
and the wisdom to know
it's me.
G-D
Grant me sanity
to accept the people
I cannot change,
courage to change
the one person I can,
and the wisdom to know
it's me.
Author notes
' The Serenity Prayer ' is used within the walls of Alcoholics Anonymous and which I know off by heart having entered rehab in May, 2001 for a six-week extensive detoxication program for alcoholism and to this day still have not had a drop of liquour pass upon my lips. I am in no way blasphemizing the original poem, I use the original Serenity Prayer everyday in my life to help me on my journey of recovery and it will always be the top of my guidance tools. I have reworked ' The Serenity Prayer ' to adapt to my new life: to remind myself that in order to help my fellow mankind, I must first help myself and be healthy: intellectually, physically and emotionally. If anyone agrees that I have 'plagiarized' this poem in any way, may I remind you that writers 'borrow' from other 'writers' all the time, and if this is plagiarism then most of the contests that ask you to rewrite someone else's work is also plagiarism. Plagiarism 'is to use and pass off (of someone else's ideas, inventions, writings, etc) as one's own)' which I have not done here, I have rewritten this person’s work keeping the same style as the original author and added my ideas to it...and that is called collaboration.
Written April 5th, 2004
In a list
A contest entry
- stand out. make me think. just nothing typical! by apatisk.
300 points, ended February 23, 2005, 14 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 32 of 32
-
I quite like that- and it's not plaigarizing at all, you are simply borrowing it. Loved the format.
-
very cute. i like how you changed it to make it your own. great job. thanks for entering good luck
-
Excellent rewrite!!!
From MoonChild55,
Short and sweet and to the point!!!! I love how you have taken an old, reliable saying, something I say more then once a day, and directed it to self as a way tochange you only and not everybody else, I personally talk alot about God and how He has changed my life, but you have taken it one step farther realizing that ALL DECISIONS in life start with self. Good poem!!!! -
I think you take the poem up a step or two. I don't think the writer would be offended at all, as a matter of fact, I think the writer would agree. I haven't had a drink since January 12, 1997. Not even on weekends and holidays!
If I can do it so can you! Great poem of self examination and true serenity. Hope you recouperate from the surgery with Godspeed. Spell out "God" next time, He won't care, it's only people that do!
Much Love,
Renee
-
Not at all just don't tell the other author, wait he's dead, okay you can
-
I use the Serenity Prayer often, but I certainly like your version much better.....think I will change to yours, if you don't mind????!!!!??? Cheryl
-
i wanted to cheer when i read this. i totally love it. this is one of my favorite prayers as it was originally written, though i have never suffered addiction, the way you re wrote it is perfect!! there is such great insight.
-
very pleased to see this still here...unchanged.
bravo,
~liz -
I have to agree with ProverbialRide aren't Prayed Public Domain, I don't see Plaigerism at all in this, you clearly stated where you got the inspiration, and it's just like taking lyrics and rewriting them. Would that be plaigersim too? Because it seems like this is the same as the lyrics...I don't see plagerism at all in this, fabulous job. You showed heart in it, and feeling. Hope the mods thought about this.
Ciao pumpkin!
~“Exist to Inspire”
Damaged Faith -
Discussions aside, a very nice NEW prayer you have written here! It is lovely and fresh! Keep it on!
Wishing you the best,
Mari
-
This is perfect.. I'd take this one any day over the original
-
I really don't see where is the plagerism in it. That's just stupid to say such a thing. We "artist" take inspiration from everywhere & that's not plagerism, that just mean that the text touched us & that we wanna write our own version of it. that's all. Keep on Gregg, you're doing a good job !!!
-
I told you.. I liked the piece you did.. no need for waving of white flags or anything else.. OKAY..
I am not sure what went on last night, as I wasn't on AP for quite a while?? maybe you could IM me and let me know..okay -
*gold star*
That was beautiful and then I read the last line and the twist blew me away. It made me smile until my cheeks hurt(which poems don't usually get me to do). This is a very powerful poem and just goes to show... short isn't necessarily bad. Great job!
-
I hardly believe this is plagiarism, have you ever heard of interpretation?! Don't worry Gregg, you not only gave due credit, but you posted a picture with a person's name on it. If anyone tries to say anything I will argue to the death.. if there's anything I'm good at it's that. Sorry I havn't commented on anything latley.. I'm going on vacation for 3 weeks but I'll comment on stuff when I get back, take care. Keep writing and don't listen to any chilly nurses!!!!
-
I don't think this is plagiarism - while I don't know copywrite laws to be exact, it is different from the original and therefore, you are not passing off the original as your own. I enjoyed the way you've adapted this to fit your personal life. The only real people we can change our ourselves.
-
This is not plagerism. . .not even close. Just because it imitates the structure of another 'saying' does not make it plagerism. Plagerism concerns the copying of ideas, usually word for word (sometimes with minor changes). Here you have a totally different concept said in a way that 'sounds' like a familiar saying. But to be plagerism, it has to pass on the exact same ideas in almost the exact same way. Sanity and serenity are two totally different concepts, things and people- different, courage to change one person verses making changes in general, and wisdom in a specific area (me) verses 'to know the difference". . .not plagerism. . .
Jaden. -
I don't know much about copyright laws, but my understanding of plagiarism is the use of someone else's work claiming it as your own. I do not see where this could be considered as that. And just to comment that I liked this piece, quite a profound thought that the only person we CAN change is ourselves. Best of luck resolving this, hopefully it will be quickly.
-
oh...ok gregg. well, that is the only thing i thought they could poke holes in, if so inclined. guess maybe it's time to be serene...and put this one in god's hands (so to speak). i, for one, thank you for your new verse...came at a perfect time in my life...and am sure others would say the same. with your permission, i'd like to print it out for my own personal use. i've always loved the first serenity prayer, but (because of memory loss) it is too long for me...
your prayer is not too long
not too short
just right (sounds like goldilocks and the 3 bears!)
and, in my opinion, is most important.
~liz -
This is NOT plagiarism - what the heck is wrong with people?? That is a prayer...you are allowed to adapt prayers, just as you are allowed to adapt spells and blessings, and a whole list of other things. You should be able to post your version of the serenity prayer, just as others have been allowed to write versions of it like...
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, etc, etc...and the wisdom to hide the bodies of the people I had to kill" ...or it was something to that effect. I think whoever it was who accused you of plagiarism is just looking to get someone into trouble. GAH! The nerve of some people!
Anyway, I love your prayer, Gregg. It is beautiful.
~Tawnya~
Edited on Apr 05, 7:30 p.m. because ''. -
This is the dumbest thing in the entire world.
I can't believe the word plagiarize even got brought up.
I love the poem and I can't believe that this site would begrudge you being able to use the serenity prayer as the inspiration for this. Just because the rest of us don't post our inspirations doesn't mean they aren't used in similar fashions. Brilliant work based on lots of life not reading one simple prayer.
As far as copyright goes it needs to be 20% different, which it is. Also to note I do not believe this is a copyrighted piece, but actually public domain. I could be wrong about that.
Best of luck with this nonsense.
Hari
-
Hey Gregg,
I find it ironic that there would be an argument over this poem, considering one of the main points of the original Serenity Prayer is accepting things we cannot change. lol
I think your new spin on the old poem is very profound. I wouldn't consider it plagiarism because, as you said, you're mentioning the poem it was inspired by. However, when you're in somebody else's house, you have to live by their rules. I posted a few poems here that were written by others and was politely told to remove them, which I did. Rules are rules. It was no big deal to me.
Aside from that, your poem, like the Serenity Prayer, is a "prayer" and therefore private by nature. Maybe it will have more power that way. As the saying goes, "Power told is power lost."
See ya,
Mark -
Amen!
-
Liz it is not the graphic that they were complaining about because the graphic is signed by the author himself, it is the idea of using a prayer to re-create a new prayer.
And just for people's information out there...there is a second verse to the *Serenity Prayer* that was added to it after the author died and is harder to get a hold of and no one accused him of plagerizing either...just look at it as if I added a third verse now to this powerful poem.
Edited on Apr 05, 4:57 p.m. because ''. -
in my opinion...no...you did not plagiarize...you did not try to pass the serenity prayer off as your own. however, i have to say i am not well-versed in copywrite laws...so i'm not sure how that works. i think, were you to remove your graphic which does have the prayer verbatim, the "problem" might be removed. instead of having the prayer posted, you could perhaps provide a link to it...for those few who are not already familiar with the prayer...and only post your version on this page which has your "name" on it. unfortunately, i'll have to plead ingnorance on this one...to a point. i'd check with kevin, as i'm sure he knows the legalities.
that being said, i agree with proverbialride comment above, it IS a sad day when prayers are copywrited!
as for your prayer...bravo! more of us need to try to apply your prayer to our own lives.
as your friend, you know you have my support!
with love and respect,
~liz -
Oh and you know it's a sick world when people are copyrighting PRAYERS!! Aren't prayers considered public domain?
-
This is certainly not Plagerism...It's more of a tribute than anything. I believe anyone concidering this plagerism is seriously confused considering you cited where your inspiration came from very clearly. I think this prayer conveys a very different message than that of the original work. I see no chance of this standing up to any copyright scrutiny.
-
i don't see any plagiarism here, have you had issues about it? they are unfounded i feel, and you have defended yourself very adequately in your authors note, and the original authors work is displayed in it's in entirety, with credit to the orig. author
-
That is a rule on this site. You can't post others write even if you give credit to it. I don't understand it either. I don't see this as plagerism in my opinion Gregg, but I am not one of the ladies or men in blue.
So that mean I can't post a story that I wrote in school for a class that told us to copy a style of writing and turning it into our parody. 
-
I am not seeing plagerism but an expression where just like lyrics...changed around and written...
The credit was given appropriately and the poem was not offensive~
So I don't see it~
Awesome write my friend~
Bravo to you~
Big hugs and much love~Desire
-
Creative
I, here by call you "Sane" We all are adult's here, and this is a free country. Am I, the only person who is brave enough to post my response here? I hope not, because you are expressing your life, and in no way showing disrespect to anyone. -
please check your IM's regarding this piece..
~GILL~xx
Adding your comment:
1 - 32 of 32
8 old applause
