Cross Garden and Sherman Hoffman

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cabin day June 10, 2016

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public domain

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.

Silas Condict Bear Mountain June 9, 2016

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