The old and globally popular trick of publishing poems you’ve translated from one language to another as your own has caught up with the celebrated DesRuisseaux, a plagiarist who had the good sense to die last year, shortly before a careful reader noticed that if you translate one of his poems (back) into English it’s actually the work of Maya Angelou. This discovery drew the interest of Ira Lightman, a plagiarism detective.
Angelou? Ce n’est que la pointe de l’iceberg.
At latest count this poet laureate ripped off at least ten other poets – translated their work into French and put his name on it.
The book has been pulled; and, in an effort to save the guy’s ass, various supporters ask us to believe that when he wrote the book he suffered from Dementia (Inadvertent Global Plagiarism Type).
September 13th, 2017 at 3:44AM
Interesting symptom of dementia. In my thirty-odd years as a geriatric nurse, never ran into it. I guess I had the wrong patients.