putting out poetry

[NoseOverTail]

So, i've been writing poetry as a personal hobby for the last 2 years or so. Started as an outlet for those feels during hard times and whatnot, but i've kept at it, and my work has actually developed.

I'm kind of weird when it comes to letting people read my work, as it's all extremely personal (heartbreak, addiction, etc), so I actually hadn't let anyone read anything until recently. And I'm blown away by the response I'm getting. People actually like it. Like, really fuckin like it. I've now got a ton of people asking for a book of some sort.

Now here's my dilemma. I plan on just making these little books by hand, all DIY style. But don't I run the risk of having someone steal my work. Do I copyright each poem, or something to that extent? It'd suck to see someone try to pass off my work as their own.

So yeah, I know there's a couple authors here in Mayberry. Any advice to a clueless poet?

 

[Malas]

Quite a few authors here, I'm not one. But, you'll get your advice soon, I'm sure.

Congrats on being poetic. It never came to me, even though I tried.

 

[AncientEnemy]

google creative commons. also you can upload your poems to a site like deviantart under your username and that should copyright it automatically, and if you ever get into a dispute you can point to that

 

[AncientEnemy]

also post a sample of your work if you don't mind

 

[Badtangent**]

I'm also a writer. You should share something you've written, it could be beneficial for you.

As far as copyrighting your stuff / making sure it doesn't get stolen, The old school way of doing it would be to take all of your poems and mail them to yourself, and then keep them in the sealed envelope (which should have a postdate on it), in case you ever need to prove when they were written and who wrote them.

Anyway, definitely share something- I'll share one of mine:

Ive never been that enamored with standards
if a sheep bleats repeatedly in a silent forest
can you hear him speaking?

When the days go away will you see to our need?
Can i feed a violent beast a piece of my own
fleshy and dash against the way he was playing

Stay coherent but barely
Scare me if you can
my fears are inherently transparent

Let me show you a sketch of my flesh tidings
spider climbing with webbed intentions
dont prevent me. Let me.

If you could set me free would you
let it happen
blast me to dueces, no excuses

reclusive penitent spectre stays reflective
can you detect my hesitance
but i would kiss your eyes every time

and licking
stick to me. Stay as a postive demonstrative
Let me live as the creature i created

outdated mode of conduct
i was bomb struck and rupturing
structure me with all of your fractals

tacit impasse of shattered glass
passed out with all of the spasm
pyroclast the atrophic spokesman

i spoke for all men as a spoke in the wheel turning
burn me down or i will
still, this steel is hard and ardent

he was no longer a cogent component
own it as you will
i am steel waiting.

 

[Bolshevik***]

I'm also a writer. You should share something you've written, it could be beneficial for you.

As far as copyrighting your stuff / making sure it doesn't get stolen, The old school way of doing it would be to take all of your poems and mail them to yourself, and then keep them in the sealed envelope (which should have a postdate on it), in case you ever need to prove when they were written and who wrote them.

Anyway, definitely share something- I'll share one of mine:

that's what a teacher back in 9th grade told me.

as for the poem:

1:55

 

[NoseOverTail]

google creative commons. also you can upload your poems to a site like deviantart under your username and that should copyright it automatically, and if you ever get into a dispute you can point to that

Nice, thanks. Created a DeviantArt page, and using Creative Commons.

Aaaaand yeah I'll post something, mine as well


It was a long line
A trial by fire
I'm glad I'd followed
This quest it delivered
experience
and passion
heartbreak
and grace
failure
self-loathing
and demons erased

This journey I followed
This pain I endured
For something so soothing
As love evermore
But one day I'd found
That these stones that held sturdy
These walls built around me
For false gods unworthy
Need not for your hope
Or a lover's embrace
One day I'd found them
Crumpled down to the base

But no time to wallow
To break down like those walls
This future's unwritten
These moments still ours
In pain we will struggle
In strife we will grow
When you fall to your knees
Stand back up to your toes

In pain we will struggle
In strife we will grow
When you fall to your knees
Stand back up to your toes

 

[NoseOverTail]

Cut From The Same Shroud

We got people who be skeezin
yet preachin the lines of Jesus.

From the good book to the higher plan;
From youth to a grown man;
Disillusioned with the lies
and a Vatican fortified
with precious stones and solid gold,
while people out in the cold
Struggle to survive,
their pain is unjustified.

So,
what would Jesus say
if he saw his followers suffer-
the man who supposedly
treated his enemies
to last supper.
Thumpin bibles and shootin off rounds of ammunition,
the hate that goes with your faith is a full-on contradiction.

So I want nothing to do
with all the hate that they spew -
a person is a person
no matter their world view,
or race
or creed,
gay
straight
or in-between,
there's no need since we grew from the same seed

 

[NoseOverTail]

I guess ill link my DA page as we. I've only got those two up, 11 more left to add

http://mattgpoetry.deviantart.com/

Edit: yeah so I'm doing this all off my phone, and DA's mobile page is dogshit. Biggest fucking headache to work with. So if you're interested, message me and ill give you a link to my personal site, that has all my work

Jeez DA's mobile site is fuckin awful to work with...

 

[SafyreSchool**]

Is this Christian themed poetry?

Anywho, you can do the ghetto copyright thing, just make one copy of your book, seal it up in a envelope or package, mail it to yourself and never open the package.

EDIT, nevermind, someone already said it.

 

[NoseOverTail]

Is this Christian themed poetry?

Anywho, you can do the ghetto copyright thing, just make one copy of your book, seal it up in a envelope or package, mail it to yourself and never open the package.

EDIT, nevermind, someone already said it.

No, just that one poem is about the hypocrisy of the church

 

[Prime Yossarian]

I heard posting a copy to yourself by registered mail and not opening unless you need to prove your claim works pretty well.

Im no scientist though.

 

[AgeofEmpires2**]

I write too. Poetry, Lyrics, Philosophy, Small Articles, etc. Here's what I wrote before I went out on New Years Eve. One of the lines came to me and I had to sit and write something of it.

A toast to those I've dined with on fine nights such as this
to the hooligans and debaucherous
and to the justice seekers and loves plaintiff
Gather around the bottle and drink to our past
Days will come again but pray it's not your last
A drink for my men and all those I do miss
and another for my brothers dressed as midnight riders for a kiss
- Happy New Year

 

[Spoken]

as someone who has won poetry slams and stuff, I'd do edits on your poetry. There is a different between written text and spoken poetry... your stuff doesn't work well text, it seems like it needs delivery.

 

[NoseOverTail]

as someone who has won poetry slams and stuff, I'd do edits on your poetry. There is a different between written text and spoken poetry... your stuff doesn't work well text, it seems like it needs delivery.

This is my biggest challenge - i've baaically known this since I started, but its cool to have someone with experience tell me the same. Do you mind if I pm you my personal site with all my work on it? It would meam a lot to get real input on it. It's nothing special, so it'll probably seem pretty lame to you, but as I said, it'd mean a lot