Part of this photo will appear in the book "Blossoming in Provence". Note: all book pictures will be in black and white (I want to keep down the purchase price of the book. To fill it with color photos would greatly increase the cost for readers).
si (see)
: if
*Note: "si" means "yes" when used to answer a negative question.
ex. Tu n'as pas encore fini?
Si, j'ai fini!
Si tu peux être fort sans cesser d'être tendre…
If you can be strong without ceasing to be tender…
—Andre Maurois' (from Kipling's poem, see below)
I wonder if my thoughts are beginning to short circuit? I've been up since the early hours, thinking about what to write today. There are things to write for the book… and things to write for this "thrice-weekly" blog…
A slight panic sets in. Just when I fear this project will come crashing down, there will be a moment of clarity, when I think "Just keep it simple…".
And yet, I am afraid of leaving someone out of the Acknowledgments section. And I am afraid of choosing the right blurbs for the book (and leaving others out). And I am unsure of how to rewrite the book's description….
…And the dogs have fleas, the kids have adolescence, the house has cobwebs, and I have the flu (or think I do)….
Rather than let confusion set in, I will make the decision to listen to Mom (The Book Director), to include these final chapters (see today's story selections), and so wrap up this project! I would like to end the challenge on an inspirational note… and what could be more inspiring than Kipling's poem (see below)?
And now, here is what I need your help with. Apart from editing the following stories, can anyone tell me whether the Kipling's poem "If" (and André Maurois's inspired translation, "Si") are in the public domain? I would like to print them in my book and I need to be certain the I have the right to do so.
And now, enjoy with me now these inspiring words (as well as the final three story selections for my book… editors, are you still with me? :-)
SI (Kipling's poem, as read by my son), click here.
Toc : about my friend Martine, who offered me the Kipling poem.
Lance (one more story about my husband, Monsieur Nature
"If—"
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!
—Rudyard Kipling
For the French translation, and to hear this poem in French (read by our son) click here.
Always good to end things on a sweet note… French sirops at the market in Les Arcs-sur-Argens
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Kristen,
I believe Google books has Kipling’s “If” poem, so it’s considered public domain. I’ve never published a book, but would your editor know the “legalities” of this? Here’s the link: http://books.google.com/books?id=QYy_6pjVsoMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=kipling,+rudyard++%22if%22+poem&hl=en&ei=CkHKTuW3FqH40gH2nbQX&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CEIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=kipling%2C%20rudyard%20%20%22if%22%20poem&f=false
Hi Kristin, According to wikipedia, If “is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1923.
The author died in 1936, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 70 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.”
Hope that helps.
All best wishes
Vicky
Thank you, Vicky and Heather. This is helpful!
Does anyone know about the André Maurois versions copyright?
Don’t forget the other meaning of “si” – a yes in answer to a negative.
Vous ne serais jamais riche.
Si, je suis deja!
Hi again! In the UK…
Duration of copyright
“The 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act states the duration of copyright as;
For literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works
70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the last remaining author of the work dies.”
All best
Vicky
Selecting effective black and white pictures for a book about blossoming. Quel défi !
David
Re: the translation: It depends on the year the translation was published. It becomes its own work and the clock starts when it’s published.
There’s a cheat sheet about when a work passes into public domain per U.S. law here: http://copyright.cornell.edu/resources/publicdomain.cfm. It does get complicated with translations, though. As others have suggested, see if your publisher can help you. They likely have a full time permissions team who can answer this question definitively in less than 10 minutes.
Best of luck!
Kathy
John, thanks for pointing that out. I should have noted si in the negative
Thanks again, Vicky! Ill go ahead and print the English version. Heres what I get with the French version at Frances wikipedia (it only mentions the English being in the copyright, yet French wiki post the entire poem by Maurois:
http://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Si
David, LOL
Kathy, I dont have a publishers legal team to help me — Im doing this one on my own.
At the very end of the French wiki page, for André Maurois transation,
it links to this Creative Commons note:
Les textes sont disponibles sous licence Creative Commons paternité –
partage à l’identique des conditions initiales ; d’autres conditions
peuvent s’appliquer. Voyez les conditions d’utilisation pour plus de
détails.
Clicking on the first link brings up this note:
Vous êtes libre de :
partager — reproduire, distribuer et communiquer loeuvre
remixer — adapter loeuvre
d’utiliser cette œuvre à des fins commerciales
According to Wikipedia:
“Some or all works by this author are in the public domain in the United States because they were published before January 1, 1923.
The author died in 1936, so works by this author are also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 70 years or less. Works by this author may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.”
The link is
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Author:Rudyard_Kipling
In Line 11 of the English version, Triumph and Disaster usually have upper case first letters in this poem. Sandra
Hey, Kristin –
I’m pretty sure the Creative Common License thing pertains to the text of the Wikipedia article, not the poem it quotes. Also, I wouldn’t count on the fact that Wikipedia quoted the poem as being an indication that it’s in the public domain — lots of wiki articles are written by All-information-should-be-free! types.
Seems to me the keys are going to be 1) French copyright law and 2) the year the translation was first published.
going back to the use of si to answer a negative surely not vous serais as serais with tu form-without checking wouldn’t it be vour seriez
I just did a little research and found that the translation dates from 1918. One of the sources I discovered that confirms that is a charming blog called … hmm, what was it … French Word a Day.
Guess I should have looked here first.
: \
The poem is beautiful. I forwarded it to him (my son) from your word of the day.
You are an inspiration to me with your words and love of your family.
I will give your new book to friends who love the French language and for me.
Georgia & Madeleine
LOL! Thanks, Bruce.
Kristin
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23967
‘If’ seems to be in the public domain, at least in America…
Best wishes
Gaye
Think the same might be true of Maurois’ translation… http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/If%E2%80%94?match=fr
Gaye
I really like the various photos in your emails with the word of the day. The one from today with the syrups at the market is really nice. Thanks for keeping this going.
Ted
Avec des “si” on mettrait Paris en bouteille.
French proverb – With “ifs” you could put Paris in a bottle.
Hi Kristin, Tears are running down my cheek as I read Kipling’s poem…thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m sending love and blessings to you as you run the final mile stretch with this book–it is done and glorious. Mary
Thank you, Ted! For the syrups photo, I dug down deep in my photo archives. Ive been doing a lot of archives-digging, lately, to find photos that were taken at the time the stories (from my book) were written.
Excellent quote, Judy. Wish Id thought of that!
Avec des si on mettrait Paris en bouteille. French proverb – With ifs you could put Paris in a bottle.
I love the stories today. I have been to Porquerolles. I can see you both in the wagon, or maybe you didn’t go in the wagon, through the pine trees with spear in hand. Very creative and shows his free spirit. Soldier on! In that story, is an “ed” at the end of walk a possibility?
Wikisource may be some help re:public domain.
What I found out is mentioned in some of todays comments.
Sometimes mothers are correct and including these stories is spot-on! Both show humanity and philosophy about life.
I have been to a house in Cuernavaca, Mexico where J. Baker hung out “in the day”. What parties they must have had.
Know the pressure you are in. Slaved over a query letter to a literary agent this weekend. I have read all of your stories and have been reluctant, trepidatious to suggest errors, except commenting about the the dinner party.
Great relief when I clicked “send”!! Your relief is close at hand. Celebrate when you cllck send. Job well done Kristin.
Looking forward to finding it on Amazon!!
Bonne chance.
cheryl
Dear Krisitn, here’s the info on the poem “If”
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1923.
The author died in 1936, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 70 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
What a shame that your beautiful photos will not be in color! The colors of Provence are what draws so many people there. I understand your concern about the cost, but I imagine your readers would be happy to pay to see the “couleurs” of France displayed along with your delightful “contes”. Good for you that you are almost fini! Bravo!
I was going to comment also about the use of “si” to answer a negative question. I just love that capability of French. In English, I never know how to answer it when someone says “Aren’t you going?” In French a simple “si” is all it takes.
Your photos are too glorious NOT to print them in color! Those blossoming, blooming, Provençal colors are a GIFT to the reader. I will gladly pay the extra money – for they enrich my life.
I know that you see yourself as primarily a writer (and you’re a wonderful one at that!), but take it from an artist (moi!) that you have an extraordinary eye for composition, COLOR, and for poignant images that bring celebration, hope and healing.
I see you’ve gotten your answer about “If” which I was happy to see again. I’d had to memorize it as a child, a school assignment. Thank you for sharing your stories, your life, the French language, your ups and downs, and keeping me in touch with a country and language that I love.
I agree with Linda and Candy. Your photos are going to lose so much in b/w, Kristin. Rather have fewer photos and in colour than more and sombre……The whole atmosphere, poetry, whimsy, light and life of the Provence comes from its colour!! When we think of Provence, we don’t see it in B/W in our mind’s eye – it is a blaze of glorious colour!
I regret your decision to publish your photos in black and white. The colors in your photos are one of the most powerful things about them. Please reconsider.
I add my voice to the choir begging for color in the photos you include for the book. You are not going for factual illustration when you use such a photo. It is to connect the reader with the vibrancy of Provence. Black and white will not convey this. I agree, use fewer photos if you must keep cost down, but use COLOR!
One of the most meanigful/beautiful poems ever written.
One of my favourites!!!
Yes the English one it is in public domain.
All the Best.
Rina.
Thank you! “If” was just the message I needed today. It is as if I’ve been caught inside a whirlwind this past week, a whirlwind chased by grizzlies. I, too, have been hearing (now that I’ve found a moment to listen) “keep it simple”. Please excuse my absence from assisting with your book publishing the past few days; I was having so much fun while there was time to keep up. Keep your chin up and your eyes on the horizon! It is one step at a time, my friend!
Oh Kristin! Talk about us being on the same wavelength! On August 18 of this year I sent this message to my 11 & 15 year old grandsons:
“Just found this Rudyard Kipling poem again. It has always been one of my favorites & expresses some of the ideas I have formed my life around. I would like to share it with you.
Grammy”
In the poem “triumph and disaster” should be captalized as they are personifications.
My version has it that way.
Some color photos please.
Hi Kristin — I’m glad the copyright issue has been resolved. That’s a beautiful poem, and seems to fit in with your Publish a Book in 21 Days theme as well.
How difficult would it be to publish in black & white to reach as many people as possible, with a Limited Edition color option for those who want it? That way either or both would be available.
At Charity Hospital of Louisiana, where I studied nursing, the version of the first lines was–
“If you can keep your head when all about are losing theirs, you may not fully understand the situation.”
amdla
There’s (limited) information on the translation by Maurois at http://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Si .
Bottom line: you probably need to be careful in Europe…
At one time, U.S. copyrights were for 28 years, and could be renewed once (possibly longer, but I’m not sure about that) – so after 56 or so years, the American copyright would expire. I memorized this poem in 9th grade, and it wasn’t new then, so I’m sure it’s in the public domain by now.
I would pay more for the pictures to be in color.
It was wonderful to hear Max read the entire poem in French, which he did very well – especially considering he was much younger then than now.
Just what I needed to read tonight Kristin…after a very long day dealing with our boiler going out….Merci beaucoup for the lovely and inspiring poem posted by R.K.
Love it! Take care, rest and be well soon I hope.
Love the poem! It’s beautiful!
I’m looking forward to reading the results of your perseverance, Blossoming in Provence :).
Julianne, thanks. This is the option I am thinking of, too: black-and-white for this forthcoming book. A little while later, I will think about the color option, for a limited or gift edition.
Kristen,
This poem is just what I needed this week, working in the middle of a vipers’ nest and trying to keep my sanity and soul together. It reminded me of a William Carlos Williams poem which I love, and can’t find right now. The gist of it is that poems won’t give us the latest news or this or that, but “people die every die for want of what is found there.” Thank you.
Martine
“If” is one of my favorite poems and last weekend I was at a show where John Davidson had put the poem to music and sang it–very moving!