-- Repentance --

I think that stupidity strikes,
and sometimes we do wrong.
We commit acts of indecency,
and are in trouble before long.

I've been a writer all along,
as a soul, before being reborn,
I used a poem from long ago,
and now I find myself forlorn.

Within the poem that I used,
I was reluctantly told,
there is a stanza from another,
a poem otherworldy and old.

It seemed that I had forgotten,
I'd copied it for my own.
I find myself a cheater at best,
and I must sorrowfully atone.

My friends, I have a difficult job,
I must regain lost trust.
I went from being praised,
to being looked on with disgust.

But, with the help of time itself,
it all will be hopefully healed.
Time has proven through history,
that things can be concealed.

My reputation, diminished of course,
must we renewed and rebuilt.
All I can say is 'I'm sorry,'
and that I am burdened guilt.

Plagiarism is not acceptable,
that's it - the bottom line!
The only thing I can do is hope,
and pray this will all be fine.

Post 3417 on the poetry board,
the final stanza and rhyme.
It is where the problem sits,
the poetic and lyrical crime.

'Crime,' is not an overstatement,
what I had done was terrible.
And the shame that's with me now,
is completely unbearable.

All I can say is that I've done wrong,
I can atone and then try to advance.
I can do this - I swear and I promise,
but someone must give me that chance.

I know I've cheated and I know I've lied,
I look hopeless at first glance.
I can assure you, this is not me,
but someone must give me that chance.

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| Forever sorry to Sapience, |
| to Cyrene, and most of all |
| to my House, the Ty Beirdd.|
------------------------------

~ Aela Semshan

Penned by my hand on the 9th of Phaestian, in the year 476 AF.