Crime and Punishment

[Hawkman]

(for Logos)

One wouldn’t want it spread abroad
Great poets can’t be on our boards;
But do we really need or want,
(No matter size or shape of font)
Their ectoplasmic writings posted,
(By the forum proudly hosted)
Thus inscribed when they are dead,
Even if they’re widely read?

Invitations so extended
To a chap when life has ended,
Might be misconstrued, you see,
Leaving psychic writers free
To claim the honour that is due
To laureates, although they’re few.

So, when nasty little tykes,
That oughta be impaled on spikes,
Try to con the educated
(Thinking that they might be fated)
They just prove their lack of talent
In a way that’s hardly gallant.
No lame excuse absolves a liar
Let’s tie ‘em to a post and, “Fire!”

[cogs]

lol yes, better to get rid of the post(ha) altogether. maybe the member is 'fired' or banned, idk. and fire rhymes with ire, of which trolls seem to inspire. it's hard to write a post without poetry.

[PrinceMyshkin]

Well done,chum. When one thinks of the pleasure you must get when constructing a witty or heartfelt poem, one might be moved to pity for those who don't and maybe never will experience that but delight (or sneer?) at stealing someone else's poem instead.

[Hawkman]

Cogs: hard to write a post without poetry? Well maybe, but it has been known :D

Prince: Thanks for the, "Well done chum." As the forum is a mutually supportive medium for people to express themselves in poetry, I wouldn't say I'm moved to pity those whose efforts lack finesse. My instinct is to assist. The anti-poet who sneers insults everyone who makes an effort, whilst posting someone else's poem as their own is not only stupid, especially in the case of a well known poem, but just plain low. What possible enjoyment can there be in earning a community's contempt? For me, "...it passeth all understanding." Besides, reproducing works which are still in copyright is illegal. If someone tried to pass off my work as their own, I wouldn't pity them, I'd be justifiably cross.

Live and be well - H

[DocHeart]

A certain poet laureate whose slumber has been recently disturbed by a small-time crook couldn't have put it better himself, Hawk!

Independently of its particular relevance to current events, however, this poem is a joy to read. Elegant, rhythmical and witty.

Good health,
DH

[Hawkman]

Thanks Doc :D Sadly Philip Larkin was never Poet Laureate, not that he wouldn't have been a good one. I employed a little poetic licence, using the word for its rhythm and in the sense of "laurels". He actually refused an OBE but later in life accepted being made a Companion of Honour.

Anyway, glad you enjoyed my little poem, and thanks for calling out the offence. I didn't because I don't usually bother to open the poster's threads. I have a good collection of Larkin's poems, which I enjoy dipping into occasionally.

All the very best to you and yours.

Live and be well - H

[DocHeart]

Sadly Philip Larkin was never Poet Laureate, not that he wouldn't have been a good one.


Wow! Thanks for pointing that out. I stand corrected. From Wikipedia: "He was offered, but declined, the position of poet laureate in 1984, following the death of John Betjeman."

This probably (no, definitely) ought to be the subject of another thread, but I wonder how deep or accurate everyone's knowledge of their favourite authors / poets is.

Regardless, I do ask future visitors of this thread to focus on your poem, for it is to be enjoyed and appreciated, and not on anything else :)

Best,
DH

[Delta40]

Nice dedication for Logos and the person who posted that which was not theirs to post Hawk. Great wit.

I do worry about my own work being copied and pasted elsewhere from this site. A couple of years ago, somebody (I think it was our old friend Hill) pointed us to a poetry forum which had alot of our poems on there by other posters. How do we guard against that?

[Buh4Bee]

This is great fun and shows what a good poet you are Hawk. Glad to know you. Delta, you should worry about people copying your poetry, but as for mine... well hahaha!

[Hawkman]

Thanks again Doc :)

Delta: Thanks to you too for reading and appreciating. I do wonder if I have been pinched and occasionally I do a search for titles and first lines of my poems on google. However, I usually can't even find my posts by doing this, so I still have no idea whether I'm being plagiarised or not!

B4B: You are too kind :) You're no Vogon though, all you need is more practice. You should post more.

Live and be well - H

[MorpheusSandman]

Even though I'm newly returned I do believe I know of the incident that inspired this poem and it is, indeed, very fun and very clever. Writing couplets is such a lost art, and you did that form (perhaps the hardest of forms) a real service here. That last one could even become epigrammatic; Pope would be proud.

[Hawkman]

Thanks Moppheus, I delighted you enjoyed it :)

Live and be well - H