Wondered if any other poets had this experience. I have two poems now which I've written but am worried that I've (unconsciously) plagiarised from somewhere. They came too easily and pretty much fully formed and felt immediately familiar. I've read back through all my books of poetry (no small task) without finding the source(s). I've also tried googling lines from them with no luck. But I'm paranoid about sharing them and having people think I'm attempting to pass someone else's ideas off as my own.

I think I have had this experience. I did not know it myself. I realised when someone pointed that out to me. I did not agree at first, as i was quite sure i have never read any such work (like the poem which i might have unconsciously plagiarized) of others.
But later i did get the feeling that i might not own that poem. It might be because of that remark or maybe because of the expressions that i have used in that work. I believe, sometimes things in poetry do get expressed with a similar touch.

hi simon
if you are concerned that thematically they are similar to pieces already out there without being a word for word copy, you could always include a quote at the beginning from the poets you feel inspired the piece, or dedicate the poems to said poets. this may ease your concern.

edit - just read your response colin. wasnt plagiarizing you, i promise!

There is one pome on me book - the clinching lines of which struck me as possibly unoriginal - they were too good for me ?
I did the google thing - looked everywhere I could and found no trace - so, if anyone does come up with evidence that I copied the idea from a song or a poem I'll have to accept it - meanwhile...hey ho ?