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Is It Plagiarism to Copy a Single Line of Poetry?

Posted by Team Poetrysoup on 8/1/2025 6:56:28 AM

Simply put, plagiarism is copying someone else's work without giving them credit. Did you know that it is plagiarism even if you copy a single line of poetry or a writing if you do not credit the original author. However, there are some nuances to this. First, the line of poetry, for instance, has to be unique. For example, there are many cliches or overused trite expressions that have been used in writing poetry. These do not have to be cited. Still, it is best to avoid cliches so that your work is original. Additionally, determining who was the first to write a particular line of poetry can be problematic.

So, if you copy a line of poetry, it's not just a matter of avoiding plagiarism, but also a sign of respect and accountability to acknowledge the original source.

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Comment by Jon Corelis on 12/24/2025 10:32:17 AM

I think it's more complicated than this. The greatest and most famous English language poem of the 20th century, T. S. Eliot's The Waste Land, includes a large number of lines from other poems without specifically crediting their author or source. It also includes the cliches "One must be so careful these days" and "I didn’t mince my words."

Comment by Jon Corelis on 12/24/2025 10:32:07 AM

I think it's more complicated than this. The greatest and most famous English language poem of the 20th century, T. S. Eliot's The Waste Land, includes a large number of lines from other poems without specifically noting their author or source. It also includes the cliches "One must be so careful these days" and "I didn’t mince my words."

Comment by Suzette Richards on 8/13/2025 2:48:23 AM

Thank you, TPS, for this overview. Some years ago, I posted an article here at PS on this seemingly recurring topic under discussion. I, also, included external links to legal essays covering the common points listed. Your readers might be interested in it: Plagiarism versus Being Inspired By | PoetrySoup.com

Comment by Michelle Smith on 8/4/2025 6:12:48 PM

Thanks for the reminder. :) I normally do give credit where credit is due; recently I forgot to cite this was part of a contest: “The essence in us is the same as the essence of the sun.” (Now edited to include name of contest and contest host). I looked up the quote and its original writer is not given. Does anyone know more about this?

Comment by Tom Cunningham on 8/4/2025 12:14:29 AM

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, to "plagiarize" means: to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own to use (another's production) without crediting the source to commit literary theft to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward. According to that it's not just a line from someone else's poem but their ideas as well, It's a minefield for sure.

Comment by sara Etgen-Baker on 8/3/2025 2:35:06 PM

I've learned this truth the hard way...now I'm extremely careful even if I use common cliches, words from a well known song, etc. Thanks PS for sharing this clarification.

Is It Plagiarism to Copy a Single Line of Poetry?

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