 Friday, November 17, 2006
We just received a poem from a student in Texas. The poem reads:
She walks in beauty like the night,
And all that’s best of dark and bright.
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
Meet in her aspect and her eyes.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Where thoughts serenely sweet express.
Had half impaired the nameless grace,
How pure, how dear the dwelling-place.
The smiles that win, tints that glow,
A mind at peace with all below.
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A heart that loves is innocent.
Pretty outstanding, right? Yeah, well, don't get too excited. We haven't found the next Lord Byron here. What we've found IS Lord Byron! That's right, the great poet penned these lines back in 1814. Actually, the plagiarized poem above is not exactly like Byron's. Here is the original poem:
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
I don't know what goes through a person's head when he/she decides to pass any sort of writing off as his/her own. The word is called "plagiarism" people! And there's not a dirtier word in the entire kingdom of the writing language. Please please please please PLEASE don't do it! It really spoils my day.
If I ever catch another person sending us work that isn't theirs... well, I just don't know what I'll do. But it won't be pretty, my friends. Oh no. It will not be pretty.
OK, that said, I'm going to post something happier this weekend. A new 1,000 Words story! Yes yes!
Until then, stay innocent.
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