For those who we talk to, both near and far,
We bond over the interests we have in life,
Whether it be a show or a joke we share,
Sometimes a picture is enough to keep our smile high.
A clip or a quote can linger in our minds,
To make us laugh in our most stressful times.
For some it’s a voice that can transcend over land and sea,
To show a sense of humor they would not otherwise see.
For those who share the same love, both near and far.
We reminisce about our experiences and thoughts of our first loves.
The artists, the writers, the heroes of our childhoods,
And how it has shaped the life we lived through.
We show affection with the tools they have given us,
To use them in our stories, or poke fun at their realities.
We won’t let those who have left be forgotten,
Legends that have changed the world with their minds and creations.
A yellow sponge, A lens for universe, or the universes they created themselves.
They live on in the legacies they leave behind, to which it will be up to us
To remember them and honor them within creations of our own.
For those who adore this voice, both near and far.
It has been a trying year, with legends gone and the future unknown.
We keep our head high and smile at the pain,
Not always for the right reasons.
Our voice, our jokes, our tributes
Are being threatened by the number 13.
Our labors of love may be censored for profit,
Our source of laughter may be taken to the courtroom
When all they did is allow a clip with a sound bite or two.
Is it wrong to show love through a poster,
Which the TV station can take down because she used their characters?
It’s one thing to claim to protect ourselves,
But for corporations, must you keep your creations to yourselves?
Yi Wen Neoh is a writer for the Fulcrum, and a fourth-year communications and English student at the University of Ottawa. This is her first poem, so there isn’t much rhyme or structure, as it is more for the message.
This poem is about Article 13 and the effects it can have on popular and meme culture. If your creation is illegal, not because of stealing credit but for the very use of that character, why would you want to create anything in homage? Would some of the classics be so well-known today if it wasn’t for people’s imaginations?
