A Favorite Poems thread?

[CalebMurdock]

On another forum that I'm not frequenting any more, someone started a favorite-poems thread on which people posted their favorite poems from other authors. I loved it, and I'd like to see such a thread here. However, the moderators need to weigh in on whether such a thread might involve copyright violations, or whether posting one or two poems from an author would constitute acceptable "fair use".

[Antcliff]

On another forum that I'm not frequenting any more, someone started a favorite-poems thread on which people posted their favorite poems from other authors. I loved it, and I'd like to see such a thread here. However, the moderators need to weigh in on whether such a thread might involve copyright violations, or whether posting one or two poems from an author would constitute acceptable "fair use".

Hello Caleb. The mods can probably make up their own minds about "weighing in" or not. As it happens, people quite frequently post poems or references to poems that they like. They tend to be posted individually in the "Poetry Discussion" section. If you wish to post a particular poem, a favourite, you could perhaps do that first. Certainly I am always interested to see such postings.

Best wishes,
Seth

[CalebMurdock]

No, I'm not talking about analyzing poems -- just posting favorites. Without any critique of the poems, that would work best in one thread. So the question is, do you think a thread in which people post their favorite poems would involve any violation of copyrights?

[Antcliff]

No, I'm not talking about analyzing poems -- just posting favorites.

As was I, Caleb.

Best wishes,
Seth

[CalebMurdock]

Seth, I feel that you're being enigmatic. You're a moderator. Is it okay for me to start such a thread?

[Ros]

Dive in there, Caleb. It's probably best to try to find a link to a poem, if possible, rather than typing it out. Fair use would probably cover discussion and dissection of a poem - I'm not sure it would cover reproducing one just because you liked it, and we should perhaps avoid that. We tend to link to poems in mags etc or at least discuss the book the poem came from.

Ros

[CalebMurdock]

Thanks. That answers my question.

I don't even know if the poems I would link to are available on the internet.

[Ros]

Thanks. That answers my question.

I don't even know if the poems I would link to are available on the internet.

I'm intrigued now. Are they contemporary poets? Give us a taster.

[CalebMurdock]

I'm intrigued now. Are they contemporary poets? Give us a taster.

I didn't answer because I was sleeping.

The other forum simply had one long thread in which people posted their favorite poems, and probably most of them were contemporary poems. From a purely legal standpoint, doing such a thing might be illegal since the Fair Use doctrine (as we have it here in the U.S.) wouldn't apply. In other words, to post a poem and then analyze it would be acceptable because posting the poem allows the poster to express his or her views on it. But I'm not looking for analysis, just the pleasure of a thread full of good poems. In such a thread, many gems will turn up because there are many, many poets out there who have written a few remarkable poems, but not enough to put them in the anthologies.

From a practical standpoint, no one would get in trouble. First, any poet would be thrilled to have his or her poems appreciated in such a way. If a publisher objected (publisher's can lose money from unauthorized posting because it can cut into book sales), then the post and/or the thread could be deleted, and that would prevent any legal action. However, even a publisher might not object because the posting of one or two poems from a talented author might generate some sales. That being the case, I think the thread should be permitted.

Barnes & Noble (and possibley Amazon) now allow online visitors to take a peek into books before they buy them, and such a thread here might have a similar effect. However, I'm not a lawyer and I'm not on top of the legalities of what online booksellers are doing.

[Antcliff]

Hello Caleb

But I'm not looking for analysis, just the pleasure of a thread full of good poems.

Well, posters would be free to comment on the poems if they wish, analysis or otherwise. We could not, nor should we, offer any guarantee that it would be a comment free zone. You may not be looking for analysis, but others may. We should I think be clear about that.

Best wishes,
Seth

[CalebMurdock]

Hello Caleb

But I'm not looking for analysis, just the pleasure of a thread full of good poems.

Well, posters would be free to comment on the poems if they wish, analysis or otherwise. We could not, nor should we, offer any guarantee that it would be a comment free zone. You may not be looking for analysis, but others may. We should I think be clear about that.

Best wishes,
Seth

Oh, I didn't mean to say that people couldn't analyze the poems if they wanted to! But that wouldn't be the central point of the thread. On the other forum, someone would post a poem, and sometimes other people would comment and sometimes not. There were more poems than comments.

I could post a link to that thread on the other forum, but I am loath to. They were very opinionated and argumentative there, and I got into quite a nasty back-and-forth with them before I left.

[Ros]

I could post a link to that thread on the other forum, but I am loath to. They were very opinionated and argumentative there, and I got into quite a nasty back-and-forth with them before I left.

Just bung a poem or two up and people can say whether they like them. Let's just say we won't leave them there for more than a week or two. A long thread of everyone else's stuff probably wouldn't be a good idea.

I only know of two other really awkward sites - one where they enjoy being nasty, and one where they were clueless. The others just tend to be limp. Or good; there are a few who aspire to the high standards of PG.

Ros

[CalebMurdock]

I've started the thread, but no one seems to have noticed.

[k-j]

I've started the thread, but no one seems to have noticed.

Give it a few days. Jesus, what a palaver!

[Antcliff]

I've started the thread, but no one seems to have noticed.

Hello Caleb,

I'm not quite sure what you expect to happen. It seems that you not only want there to be a thread, but suppose that others should be following along and making notes. Entre nous, a slightly less "needy" attitude might be the thing here.....at least until you actually get to the know the circle of people here a little. Just a tip.


Seth

[CalebMurdock]

I've started the thread, but no one seems to have noticed.

Hello Caleb,

I'm not quite sure what you expect to happen. It seems that you not only want there to be a thread, but suppose that others should be following along and making notes. Entre nous, a slightly less "needy" attitude might be the thing here.....at least until you actually get to the know the circle of people here a little. Just a tip.

Seth

Seth, Seth, Seth. What am I going to do with you? Please stop talking down to me.

If being needy is part of what I am, then so be it. You can't control other people -- perhaps you need to work on that more than I need to work on being less needy.