The discussion of “Theft or Combinatory Art” makes me think about a repeated response I hear from artists when they are asked: “what is your inspiration?”

Often they say it’s their creative community; their friends & fellow writers, artists and performers. 

Are we dealing with theft, plagiarism, intellectual property infringement, or just the organic nature of creative composition?

This makes me think about the court cases involving Ed Sheeran. (LINK) He plays a mashup of songs to the judge that include a certain chord progression.

“Mr. Sheeran spoke in personal terms about the toll of defending against such accusations, and said that the flood of recent cases was “really damaging to the songwriting industry.””

I always hear songs in songs. It doesn’t make me think people are stealing. 

Generally when I listen to a musician’s body of work or read an author’s body of work I sense an underlying theme to their expression over the course of their life. 

I think it’s magical or archetypal when they echo those of another person. 

Also: I moved schools a lot when I was in primary school. When I first changed schools, it surprised me that some of the personalities from my old school seemed to be in the bodies of new people here – at the new school. 

I went to 5 primary schools and 2 high schools. I saw the same phenomenon again and again; same personalities in different bodies. 

For a long time I didn’t resonate with archetypes but lately it’s making more sense for me – in this context. 

Does every new piece of work have its own creative etymology, geology, lineage?

Like “Don’t call me doctor” said, I feel like I’m so original. I’m like a snowflake. And then I get an astrology reading or meet a long lost relative and realise I’m not very original at all. More like a foregone conclusion and really it’s the books behind me speaking – not me at all.

Is Margaret Atwood’s story ‘There Was Once’ any less creative or imaginative for the fact that it is reworking a previous narrative?  

I guess not. 

I didn’t think it was unoriginal at all. I just experienced it as peevish and a bit uninteresting or cynical. More like journaling and her own frustration than something I care to spend my leisure time consuming. 

Just being super opinionated – because – why not? 

One more thought. 

My mum is a grandma. We were calling her Grandma De. We are a household of ever-evolving nicknames. 

One day I was singing Baa Baa Black Sheep but mum was there. I call her mum. 

Ma. 

I started singing Maa Maa Muckshie maggee meggee moo. Meh her, meh her, me ma moo and so on. 

It stuck. 

Now her Grandma name is Muckshie. 

She said people ask her what that means and she wasn’t sure what to tell them. 

I suggested she just tell them how it came to be so now she does. 

It seems I have been practicing Combinatory Art my whole life and I’m ready to stop mean-talking myself about it. 

ALL705 Vision and Revision – Short Stories Now at Deakin University

Dr Gregory Day

Professor David Mccooey

The New York Times – https://www.nytimes.com/article/ed-sheeran-marvin-gaye-copyright-trial.html accessed 7.11.24