Poetry Forger

If there is an original, someone will try to copy it. I believe this to be a universal truth. And who better to claim that something is original than a known expert in that field? This could be the template for many swindles over the years, and something, I believe, will continue to happen. They just need to find the right mark. And nothing is off-limits. The more beautiful the work of art, the more opportunities the con man sees.

Thomas McNamara was a real expert in Robert Frost’s work. After years of making himself a household name in the field, he thought he could pull one over others. Experts can tend to believe they know more than anyone else. The following clip was published in The Indianapolis News on August 29, 1978, showcases precisely that: