http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/
I was wrong, it's yours if you create it first. However, you can't do anything about it without registering.
Do I have to register with your office to be protected?
No. In general, registration is voluntary. Copyright exists from the moment the work is created. You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work. See Circular 1, Copyright Basics, section “Copyright Registration.”