Performing Bards and classical poetry

[Nihm]

I might play a bard and was considering using some poetry from Edgar Allan Poe in his performances, with a short ooc footnote explaining where it came from prior to starting.
 
If anyone has an opinion on whether it's an allright thing to do or an awful one, I'd like to hear.

[xXCrystal_Rose]

Maybe rather than plagiarizing you could use the theme and mood as inspiration for something original instead. Poe wrote short stories and poems which have a very distinctive style that can reflect some of the situations we face within our own EFU fantasy world. While I personally would advise steering away from copying the existing products of another writer he does certainly have some good works which could inspire a bardic performance, such as "In youth I have known one" or the famous Annebele Lee.

[Gotham]

Change Rat to Wererat. Raven to Undead Crow. Profit!

[granny]

XD Poe is excellent for inspiration. If you're able to get inspired by his thematic, it'd be more interesting than to rereading the originals.

[Yalta]

Inspiration or adaptation is good.

Straight cut and paste isn't interesting in my opinion.

[Kinslayer988]

Cutting and pasting is bad IMO. Just bad.
Use it as inspiration and create your own poetry.

All the songs done by Mylo Aerensen were all created by myself, but with the tunes of other songs:

Halma the Whore = Ragnar the Red
Rich man = My own actually
Age of Adventure = Age of Opression/Agression
The king shall come (Over the Mountains) = The Dragonborn comes
Sharessan Revel = Old Irish drinking song

All of them inspirations

[Ixion]

I use tunes from metallica and put in the words.

[Gotham]

I feel classic (as in, actual bardic) songs should be allowed.

http://thebards.net/music/

[sylvyrdragon]

I've used both my own and some from old not well known poets. Do what you think fits.  I've also had "non-performing" Bards.  Well, I should say they did not perform in the traditional sense.  They danced, painted, things like that.  Not all bards have to sing.  Maybe they tell stories which inspire during battle, or they play an instrument.. the joy of a Bard is to be creative.  (Though with the instrument playing bard, never could figure out how they did that while in battle.)

[Gippy]

Bringing Poe to the people is great nihm. These illiterates won't know po for Poe.

Writing your own stuff is great but fitting other poems to the moment can be very cool.

I draw the line at pop. It's too refined for our gritty setting. Too brash and bold for the somber browns of our people.

I think I'm crazy, here's my number, call me maby?

[Pigadig]

Sounds like something a Conclave Nebezzdoun Bard would sing.

"Hi I just met you, and this sounds crazy, but here's my collar, so save me maybe?"

[Gotham]

I threw a level four spell in the well, I looked to you as it fell, and now your in my way.

I'd trade your soul for something spiff, DM loot I wish, I wasn't looking for this but now your in my way.

Your stare was holding, ripped cloths bloody wounds were showing. Hot night, Wind was blowing, Where you think you going Renegady?

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy. But here's this collar. Kneel to Razul maybe?

It's hard to look right, at the soul archive renegady, so here's the collar, kneel to Razul maybe.

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy. But here's this collar. Kneel to Razul maybe?

And all the Orderboys, try to chase me, But here's this collar, so kneel to Razul maybe.
-
Caliphar Jepsen

[granny]

damn, I was going to parody Leonore... then I discovered that I had no better words.

I'd read it all and write something FROM it without looking at it again... but parody... it HURTS!

[granny]

I just love this part

And I!-to-night my heart is light!-no dirge will I upraise,

[Inevitability]

I'm going to echo Gippy's words on this.

There is nothing inherently wrong with quoting a classic, especially when it suits the moment. In fact it would be an excellent tribute to them, that their works are enjoyed in yet a new medium, given that much more meaning during a salient experience.

I say go ahead with your plans, and surely come up with your own flavour as you go along as well. I'd be interested to see how you play this out ingame, we can then offer some more feedback.