Stealing My Brain

Having had my thoughts and placing them on tablet,
I have had them published and read by many.
But that was many years ago and made me forget
Until I opened a magazine today and saw an article I regret
Having read.
There before my eyes was my work under a different name; I smirked
And went through the whole document thinking this might just be a joke,
That my eyes were deceiving me, but no, some college prodigy jerk
Had used my entire article as his own. This had to be a quirk!
I sat stunned and stared with disbelief that someone could be so rankerous
To take my work and call it his….
Should I let it go or become a self-righteous, anxious
Writer, call my publisher and become slightly cantankerous?
Let it go?
The more I thought about the matter and let the gist sink in,
I became convinced that I should just leave it alone.
It saddened me, however, that someone could be so thin
And not disguise using my words but be blatant and open
Without giving credit where it was due.
I threw the magazine down, and returned to thoughts capable
Of destroying and vowing in the future I would not write fact or fiction
Without protecting my printed words so no one would be able
To defame me ever again.

© 2006 George E Thompson