Referencing... Poem by DM W

Referencing is clearly necessary;
But it's a veritable minefield. There are so
Many different kinds: that it's most confusing.
The more I research and read about it,
Paradoxically, the less I understand.
I feel that common sense should be applied.
For it could be considerably simplified;
Although I doubt it. Indeed, I'm impishly
Wondering to myself how many academics
It would take to change a standard light bulb?
Perhaps it's a subtle form of petty authority;
Deployed to make one neurotic? Or perhaps,
It's designed to weed out the free thinkers
And to stifle renegade genius via
Creative and intellectual castration?
For them, it takes up too much valuable time,
Which could be better spent on dynamic debate.
For those who are resplendent in divergence,
It's a considerable pain. Sometimes rules are for fools!
Pedantic popinjays appear to thrive on them.
Neat and tidy; clear and concise reigns supreme
Over imagination's wild and wayward powers.
The plodding tortoise always defeats the nonchalant hare.
It's the same old story: from nursery through to school;
From college to university... and beyond.
E.g. some people seem to get through it all
By regurgitation and later by slavishly
Quoting ' important' sources; without one
Original thought ever entering their heads!
Many merely internalise the norms;
Clearly self-reflection is not their thing
Perhaps, that's why we're stuck with the status quo.
As for me, I just play along with the game;
No point rocking the boat...for the time being at least.