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Fraud and Thief

There is a FRAUD and a THIEF Apparently from Nigeria Who plagiarizes all day long He steals poetry for pleasure And post on internet Under his own name His favorite source is POETRYSOUP.COM And who could blame him We are the best cauldron Of international poets On the planet. He goes by the name of ETTAH AUSTINE And has no integrity, in his profile says: "As a writer & a creator, I'm giving you my experiences. But just take what I give you. You ain't got to pry beyond that." The audacity… he’s basically admitting That he’s stealing and not to ask questions ! ETTAH AUSTINE is a disgrace to POWER POETRY He even has the gall to post a Leanne Rimes song!!! They say the greatest form of flattery is theft of a poem Or is it that the lowest shameless form Of an excuse for a human being is a thief We say get this ETTAH AUSTINE off the internet If you resent having your poetry stolen They’d love to hear it at help@powerpoetry.org posted on August 18, 2019 as COLLABORATION FROM POETRYSOUP.COM POETS

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Susan Jeavons

Date: 4/3/2023 2:44:00 PM

Line, could you provide a link to show any poems that are stolen please? Thank you.

Sheri Fresonke Harper

Date: 10/4/2019 9:09:00 PM

Thank you for the warning poem, Line

Line Gauthier
Date: 10/4/2019 10:06:00 PM

Thanks for your visit and comment, Sheri.

Rick Parise

Date: 8/28/2019 8:18:00 PM

Thank you, Line. Much appreciated. GOOD WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/28/2019 8:34:00 PM

I just hope that's his real name!

Lindsay Laurie

Date: 8/20/2019 11:02:00 PM

G'day Line … does this clown think that there is a fortune waiting in poetry. It's heartbreaking for the writer to know that their inner thoughts are stolen without a care. I still can't figure out what this bloke expects to get out of stealing poems - thanks Line for helping to expose him - Lindsay

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/21/2019 8:36:00 AM

A strange bird indeed.

James Fraser

Date: 8/20/2019 3:33:00 PM

Sadly, there's someone always going to do such :(

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/20/2019 8:29:00 PM

What a world we live in!

Timothy Mcguire

Date: 8/19/2019 10:04:00 PM

Thank you as always Miss Line for helping us. I am proud of you.

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/19/2019 10:08:00 PM

The real heroes are the ones who found him and got the ball rolling on our behalf. Bravo !

Jan Allison

Date: 8/19/2019 1:23:00 PM

I am so pleased poetry power finally took notice, it's happened on soup too one bloke posted over 400 poems and had another account who was also plagerising, ha e also seen Robert frost posted by another poet, quite shameful isn't it, I know my poop is written by me , although i have found some elsewhere on the web on all poetry lol:-) Hugs Jan xx and

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/19/2019 6:54:00 PM

Infuriating for sure.

Caren Krutsinger

Date: 8/19/2019 6:24:00 AM

I was laughing my head off, thinking this was a wonderfully fictitious character, Line. Then I read Rhona's comment. This is truly less than hilarious now. Thank you for bringing him to OUR attention. Now I wonder if he is on the other poetry site I use under an assumed name?

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/19/2019 10:11:00 AM

Indeed Caren, this wise character should be dealt with severely. What do people really have to gain from stealing poetry!!?

Rhona Mcferran

Date: 8/18/2019 8:17:00 PM

Just now got the Soupmail & saw this... but see the problem has been resolved. A heartfelt THANK YOU to Line, and all the other Super-Soupers, who acted so quickly to protect all our hard work!! *hats off* <3

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 11:26:00 PM

Thanks, Rhona. It was a team effort. Thank goodness we have proactive members who look after us.

Susan Ashley

Date: 8/18/2019 8:15:00 PM

Thank you, Line, your potent poem has spoken eloquently and with elegance on behalf of the poets/poetesses here on Poetry Soup. This plagiarist engages in a shameful practice that needs to be called out loudly and clearly. Thank you for your excellent and powerful public exposure of this FRAUD AND THIEF and his subsequent banning and account deletion from his poetry site. Also, a special thank you, to Daniel Turner as well, who broke the story of this fraudster with his blog ‘Thief’. ~Susan

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 8:29:00 PM

Thank goodness we have proactive members who are on the ball to protect us. Most appreciated.

Brandy Nicole

Date: 8/18/2019 7:51:00 PM

The sad thing is, he isn't the only one doing this. There are many out there like him. For poets like us, writing from the heart, we rejoice when they are caught. Those placing their names on our words. It isn't a form of flattery to take something that isn't yours. It's Stealing!! Plain and Simple. So beautifully written and presented my dear friend. ~ Brandy

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 8:32:00 PM

Thank you so much for your vigilance and quick proactive action to bring this to a quick conclusion. Most appreciated.

Arturo Michael

Date: 8/18/2019 6:54:00 PM

Well done Line...

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 8:30:00 PM

Thanks, Arturo.

Ilene Bauer

Date: 8/18/2019 6:08:00 PM

thank you, line, for having the gumption to write about this and name the culprit! how low can someone go? apparently, pretty low, indeed! shame on him!!!

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 8:30:00 PM

It was a team effort but mostly the action of alert members who have our back. Much appreciated.

Lady Labyrinth

Date: 8/18/2019 4:58:00 PM

Surely the Copyright Publication laws should be delivered to this gentleman via Poetry Soup IP Legal representation? Thanks Line.

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 5:37:00 PM

Love where this is going... wish it was that easy.

Jeanne Mcgee

Date: 8/18/2019 3:37:00 PM

Thanks for letting us know...a poet robber of the lowest kind...what a jerk.

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 5:37:00 PM

You said it, Jeanne!

Richard Lamoureux

Date: 8/18/2019 2:04:00 PM

He was stealing a few years ago and it seems he is now back at it again.

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 3:05:00 PM

Under the same name?!!

Connie Marcum Wong

Date: 8/18/2019 1:21:00 PM

Thank you for exposing this low life thief Line. I found a poem there I know is Daniel Turner's and let him know about it. He also has my poem 'Under the Stars' posted there. We all need to be aware and fight to get this thief removed. I can't believe he even has his picture on every page. How blatant can you get! Thank you for your poem and for naming him. xxoo

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 3:07:00 PM

Thankfully he's been banned from that site now. We'll be waiting if he resurfaces.

Pandita Sietesantos

Date: 8/18/2019 1:11:00 PM

This is utterly despicable! It's happened to me before and I am so fed-up! ETTAH AUSTINE is a little piece of garbage, no-name, low-life, with no talent, that is using our work to make a name for himself online, Instagram, Twitter, etc. There are far too many scammers/catfishers, pirates etc. online. This is so crazy! Thank you, Line, I really appreciate you getting the word out and I will do whatever I can for the cause! Hugs. Pandita.

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 3:08:00 PM

Thanks, Pandita. He's obviously out to make a quick buck. LOL

Tom Cunningham

Date: 8/18/2019 12:26:00 PM

I've heard of this happening to poets on here where their work has been stolen and put on other sites. Sad really that individuals' have to resort to doing that . They must be of low intellect and have low esteem. Tom

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 12:30:00 PM

Perfect description, Tom. Obviously lower intellect and ethical standards.

Paul Callus

Date: 8/18/2019 12:19:00 PM

Thank you, Line, for letting me know of what has been going on. Plagiarism is a terrible thing, and although it has happened to me several times, the shock of finding new cases is as bad as ever. Shame on him!!! ~ Regards // paul

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 12:31:00 PM

Thanks, Paul.

Sandra Adams

Date: 8/18/2019 11:36:00 AM

wow, this is horrible...makes you wonder where all he is sharing it and how many others are out there stealing poems :(

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 12:06:00 PM

Indeed - how many others!?

Maureen Mcgreavy

Date: 8/18/2019 11:25:00 AM

Balls to the wall! Telling it like it is. <3

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 12:13:00 PM

Unbelievable!

Anne-Lise Andresen

Date: 8/18/2019 11:14:00 AM

- Line, I read this poem on "POWER POETRY" 5 minutes ago ... excellent written - Thank you very much - hugs // Anne-Lise :)

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 12:13:00 PM

I hope they keep it posted there for posterity!

Constance La France

Date: 8/18/2019 10:01:00 AM

Line, a great poem and thanks for your efforts to try to stop this guy, sadly he will probably just change his name and continue on, it makes me sick| I have had my poems used for schools as learning tools and such, but at least those people asked permission which I gladly gave.

Line Gauthier
Date: 8/18/2019 12:15:00 PM

Yes indeed, that is a huge difference.