# Is it OK to post an entire poem?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-post-an-entire-poem/548250>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [July 28, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-post-an-entire-poem/548250 "2010-07-28T00:46:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-post-an-entire-poem/548250/1 "2010-07-28T00:46:38Z")

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I posted lyrics to a song once and got hollered at. 🙂

I know of a (fairly short) poem that Dopers would love; is it OK to post it?

Or, must I link to it instead?

mmm

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**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-post-an-entire-poem/548250/2 "2010-07-28T01:00:28Z")

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Depends how short. Hiaku or limerick, you’d be fine. A sonnet maybe not.

And if it’s out of copyright, no problem at all. Unless it’s epic length, and you quote the whole thing.

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-post-an-entire-poem/548250/3 "2010-07-28T02:29:14Z")

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The rule comes out of our desire to respect copyright – so **Peter Morris** got it right. If it"s short, okay – but if it’s available online elsewhere, go ahead and link to it.

Thanks for asking!

**twickster** , Cafe Society moderator

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**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-post-an-entire-poem/548250/4 "2010-07-28T17:48:39Z")

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Two mice fell in a bucket of cream  
A desperate fate, a struggle met  
The white flow a soft cold dream  
That pulled them down, a nightmare threat.

One mouse drowned, a life submit  
The other thrashed, he wouldn’t quit  
His life was his, and strongly earned  
All the cream to butter, churned.

I’ve earned your faith, a job, a house,  
As the mouse crawled out, to live his life.  
I’ve earned the love of my son and wife.  
I stand before you; I am that mouse.

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**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-post-an-entire-poem/548250/5 "2010-07-28T17:56:14Z")

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All the wealth of all the kings  
Is naught compared beside the things  
That I possess when I reflect  
Upon the last time that we necked.

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**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-post-an-entire-poem/548250/6 "2010-07-28T23:23:32Z")

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The Pointy Birds

Pointy birds!

Oh pointy pointy!

Anoint my head!

Anointy nointy!

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-post-an-entire-poem/548250/7 "2010-07-29T17:45:18Z")

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Haiku copyrights  
not to be messed with, my friend  
better to link, no?

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**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-ok-to-post-an-entire-poem/548250/8 "2010-07-29T18:36:00Z")

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I once thought of a poem;  
With pen I did write it,  
But it wasn’t very good  
So I didn’t copywright it!