Zeitgeistlyrik: Footnotes to Oblivion
Satis Shroff
February 21, 2011
The face has become harsh,
Rugged, chiselled in granite.
Can we live without a conscience?
Why is everyone
Pickin´ on him?
Even Felix E. Müller from Helvetia´s NZZ
Demanded an apology.
Barbara Zehnpfennig of FAZ-fame,
Was disgusted he´d used her article.
Klara Obermüller´s writings too.
The University of Bayreuth had demanded
A written statement from the author,
For he´d been bestowed with:
Summa cum laude.
A hornet´s nest has been stirred.
´My thesis has unquestionably mistakes.
I´ll relinquish my PhD title,
For the time being.
I don´t want to clutch on power.´
Noble words from a a Teutonic nobleman.
He belongs to Germany´s rich aristocracy.
His grandpa was a parliamentary secretary
In the Bundeskanzler´s office.
His memoir was published in 1971
With the title ´Footnotes.´
Is borrowing a sin?
Bertold Brecht borrowed from French poet
Francois Villon for the ´Three Penny Opera.´
Even the prolific literary giant Goethe
Borrowed ´Ein Gleiches´
From his colleague Johann Daniel Falk.
Vladimir Putin lifted from a US professor in big style.
Did Helmut Kohl really read the enormous
BritLit he mentioned in his page of references?
In Merkel´s case there´s not even a shadow of doubt,
For most don´t understand the title of her thesis.
Emeritus professor Peter Häberle, the Doktorvater, retorted:
´The accusation is absurd,
The work isn´t plagiarism.´
You can quote from the works of others,
Provided you have accurate footnotes,
Otherwise it´s a scientific cardinal sin.
But we need our Teutonic polit-star,
Despite Kunduz, Gorch-Fock,
Haunting Hindukush.
Rugged, chiselled in granite.
Can we live without a conscience?
Why is everyone
Pickin´ on him?
Even Felix E. Müller from Helvetia´s NZZ
Demanded an apology.
Barbara Zehnpfennig of FAZ-fame,
Was disgusted he´d used her article.
Klara Obermüller´s writings too.
The University of Bayreuth had demanded
A written statement from the author,
For he´d been bestowed with:
Summa cum laude.
A hornet´s nest has been stirred.
´My thesis has unquestionably mistakes.
I´ll relinquish my PhD title,
For the time being.
I don´t want to clutch on power.´
Noble words from a a Teutonic nobleman.
He belongs to Germany´s rich aristocracy.
His grandpa was a parliamentary secretary
In the Bundeskanzler´s office.
His memoir was published in 1971
With the title ´Footnotes.´
Is borrowing a sin?
Bertold Brecht borrowed from French poet
Francois Villon for the ´Three Penny Opera.´
Even the prolific literary giant Goethe
Borrowed ´Ein Gleiches´
From his colleague Johann Daniel Falk.
Vladimir Putin lifted from a US professor in big style.
Did Helmut Kohl really read the enormous
BritLit he mentioned in his page of references?
In Merkel´s case there´s not even a shadow of doubt,
For most don´t understand the title of her thesis.
Emeritus professor Peter Häberle, the Doktorvater, retorted:
´The accusation is absurd,
The work isn´t plagiarism.´
You can quote from the works of others,
Provided you have accurate footnotes,
Otherwise it´s a scientific cardinal sin.
But we need our Teutonic polit-star,
Despite Kunduz, Gorch-Fock,
Haunting Hindukush.
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