I give away words and photographs, too
In the spirit of open doors welcoming
If you like what I write then take it
If you find an image that’s pleasing it’s yours
I put it all in the public domain
Making the choice not to mark it with my copyright
As private property you must buy to have
When I can let it be free like sunshine.
It’s not like I’m saying something unique
Or what I see is not seen by many others
As I add my voice to express my sense of things
And frame the scenes that catch my eye.
I think the world is a better place
When we hear more hopeful voices in the chorus
When we see the beauty around us
Which might include my humble contribution.
The public domain is the intellectual commons
Anyone can take and make use of whatever
To create something new and better than before
The way both art and science experiment and evolve.
If you take something done by someone else
It’s only right to acknowledge your source
As they could likewise point to their sources
Going back through all the generations.
Our cultural heritage is the commons we share
Learning from each other and those before us
We stand on the shoulders of giants
Whose words and images are now ours.
