minstrel: Copywrite Laws in Verse

[Danielle Bomball]

When I saw this on the MSoB website, I remembered the discussion of a few weeks ago.

Enjoy.

Astrid

National Poetry Day was October 9, 1997 (In the UK, that is).  Wendy Cope was commissioned to write a poem on copyright, and has waived the copyright on the following poem for a year for dissemation purposes.  Please feel free to spread the message as you like.  (There is quite a campaign going on now about artists' rights.  The Authors Licensing and Collecting Society and the Poetry Society are both involved.  The Poetry Society can be found at http://www.poetrysoc.com). 

The Law of Copyright 
by Wendy Cope 

Now this is the Law of Copyright--good subject for Poetry Day. 
If you keep it some poets may prosper, in a modest and limited way. 

And some of the people who break it have little idea of the wrong 
They do to the indignant author who dreamed up the poem or song 

That they put into print without asking, or perform in a theatre or hall 
With an audience paying good money, while the writer gets nothing at all, 

Or offer the world on their web-sites, assuming that poems are free. 
They are shocked when you mention permission, aghast if there's talk of a fee. 

This is the law:  the creator has rights that you can't overlook. 
It isn't ok to make copies--you have to fork out for the book. 

It isn't ok to use poems on posters or cards or in shows 
Unless you have asked for permission.  You may have to pay through the nose. 

But not necessarily.  Try it.  If you're a good cause, or you're poor, 
and unlikely to make any profit, the cost of obeying the law 

May be negligible, may be nothing.  It's one thing to ask for a gift 
and another to take without asking, and we call that other thing theft. 

And poets they need to eat supper, and poets they need to wear shoes 
And you'll seldom encounter a poet enjoying a luxury cruise, 

So remember the Law of Copyright, and make sure you do as you ought, 
And if you read this and ignore it, I bloody well hope you get caught. 


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