A leading poetry magazine has blown the whistle on yet another known example of plagiarism by Christian Ward. In March last year Magma published a poem submitted by Ward that was titled Newton’s First Law of Motion.

Magma says on its website: “In Magma 52 (March 2012), on page 22, we published a poem titled "Newton's First Law of Motion" submitted by Christian Ward. We have recently discovered that this poem was written, apart from a few minor changes of wording, by Matthew Olzmann with the title "Sir Isaac Newton's First Law of Motion" and published in New England Review 30/4 (Winter 2009/10). We very much regret publishing a plagiarised poem which we accepted in good faith.”

The title of Magma 52? Putting On The Mask. Somewhat ironic, as it turned out.

Last month three further examples of plagiarism by Ward emerged, after his copying of a poem by Helen Mort was uncovered. Knowledgeable figures in the poetry world have gone further, and say the number of poems clearly plagiarised by Ward amounts to nine so far.