If I reveal

If I reveal it

Will they steal?

If I pour out all my joy

And all my sorrow

Will they borrow?

If I commit to word and print and page

Will they imitate?

If I churn out blood and thunder

Will they plunder?

If I throw my creativity

Out there for all to see

Will they thieve?

If I share my love and hate

Will they replicate?

And if these thoughts I generate

I then articulate and confide

Will they Plagiarise?

Will they pillage?

Will they pilfer?

Should they then be so inclined

But if I keep it under wraps

And bolt by lock and key

And no one ever sees

And no one ever reads

What use is that to anyone?

What purpose does that serve?

Save an affront to line and verse

So steal, plagiarise, thieve

Borrow, plunder, replicate

Shout it to the world

And lay small credit where it’s due:

For these murmured words I circulate

To the many

Or the few

21st April 2021