Q: is it legal to use part of a poem, written in 1794, in a song written now?
i'm writing a song and i like the line "tiger, tiger, burning bright" which was a poem published in 1794. would it be safe to include it in my own writing or do you think i would still be sued by the writers family or estate?
A: If the poem has passed into the public domain, then it would be available for anyone to use. If it was written that long ago, it probably is now in the public domain. And even if a work is copyrighted, if only 4 words of a copyrighted work are used, that might not be enough to be an infringement. But use the Find a Lawyer tab to consult a local attorney who handles copyright and intellectual property matters to advise you.
Marcos Garciaacosta agrees with this answer
A:
Good observation. Even if it were copyrighted depending on how much you use, you could fall under fair use.
consult an attorney.
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