Position:Home>General - Arts & Humanities > Can I use a persons name on a poem I have written that is about an experience I

Question:It depends on what you want to do with the poem.

If all you want to do is write it to get stuff off your chest, and keep it to yourself, you can write anything you like, including anyone's name. If no one sees it, no harm is done - you can let it rest for a while, read it again after some time has passed and destroy it if it does not mean anything any more.

If you want to show it to others, you have to be sure that the people you show it to are sensitive, and that it is appropriate for them to know about the events and people that lead to the poem. You also need to make sure that the poem is clear and unambiguous - a lot of feelings have been hurt by words that are not clear and exact. In this case also, you need to write, rest, re-read and decide if the words are all still true and okay.

If you want to publish it - even on a blog or a website, you have to be specially careful of the content, because you will be liable under certain libel or slander laws. Remember, you can be sued for libel in some countries even if what you say is true. Even if what you say is in your opinion complimentary (or nice) the other person might not think so. In this case, you really need to examine your motives, the words you use, and the way you have expressed yourself.

So be careful and ask yourself the real reasons why you need to write a poem with a name in it.

Hope this helps.