Soldier writes poetry to pass time

BASRA, IRAQ

05.16.2010

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Michael O'Brien 

17th Field Artillery Brigade

Spc. Charles F. Percy, Soldier of the 1st Battalion (Air Assault), 377th Field Artillery Regiment at Contingency Operating Base Basra, Iraq, writes poetry to pass time. He says Soldiers can create their own activities. He suggests writing poetry as one such outlet. He finds it therapeutic and rewarding. He shares his poem and meaning behind it.

"Eye on the prize"
By Charles F. Percy

Narrow and focused with sights on thy prey,
Through a window ye see what we cannot.
Waiting, wanting, to make more of this day,
Perched from a far, thy prize thee can spot.

It shaln't be long if thee sit and take shade,
Be cool, breathe easy, and keep steady aim.
Thy objective awaits, thy plan is made,
What could it be, if not glory or fame?

Thou best act quick, thy window has opened,
Thy reward of the wait, stopped in its tracks.
Mission now over, new one now hoping;
Back to the stance, there's no time to relax.

Each day that passes, it's hard to relate;
Nothing is easy, it's never too late.

Percy divided his poem into two segments. The first provides a situation in which the subject identifies his objective, makes a plan, and prepares to carry out this plan. The poem adds a question of what is gained from such a mission but leaves it up to the reader to answer that question. The meanings behind the lines in the first two stanzas:

Ignore distraction. Concentrate and focus to accomplish your objectives. Keep your goals realistic and within sight. Everyone has a different perspective when faced with an objective. This makes us unique. Be anxious and ready for a challenge. Be patient and ambitious. See your objective but step back and look at it from a distance to see it clearly. Being too close may make you overlook your objective and miss opportunities. It may seem long to accomplish your objective(s) but it is not if you just sit down, relax, and not let it get you upset or worried. Do not make it harder than it is. Remind yourself of the basics: be calm, relax, and stay focused. Your objective is within reach. Be proactive and ready to implement your plan. Know why you are doing it. Your answer could be that you are doing it for the challenge or even survival.

The second half of the poem concludes by suggesting how the subject should react when opportunity presents itself, and indicates there is a reward for his accomplishments but leaves it up to the reader to determine what exactly that reward may be. The poem also suggests that there is more than one objective and for the subject to always be prepared. It also indicates that the mission is several days or maybe even a lifetime, depending on what the objective is. The meanings behind the lines in the last two stanzas:

Know when to move. When you have an opportunity, take it. You have been proactive. Now be reactive to make it count. You have taken control over the objective and have been rewarded even if it is just self-rewarding. You have accomplished your objective and you find satisfaction in what you do. You are motivated and look forward to the next objective. Go back to your "safe zone" and prepare yourself for the next objective. Stay alert and aware of your environment. Do not let yourself become complacent. You will always face more objectives and challenges and each may be different. Accomplishing these objectives will not be easy. Put forth effort. Build on your successes and they will increase. It is better late than never to plan and be prepared.

Percy encourages everyone to write poems in their spare time. He says, "It helps pass the time, especially when faced with a long deployment." He says it is possible to find inspiration and meaning from the most simple things in life. His poem "Eye on the prize" was inspired by a photo of his family cat "Spencer" staring out of the window. He says the trick of writing a good poem is to pick something simple, describe the situation, and provide a conclusion as if it is telling a story. By SPC Percy hiding his subject (the cat), the poem took on a range of possibilities as to who or what the subject could be. He chose an English sonnet format, which consists of 14 lines with 10 syllables each. It also calls for an "ABAB CDCD EFEF GG" pattern where each matching letter represents a line with a rhyming word at its end.

Percy has entered his poem in a $5,000 contest and requests your review at www.poetry.com. To find his poem, select Browse Poems by Tag Word "prize" or "sniper." Percy challenges each of you to compete and keep your "Eye on the prize."

• Date Taken: 05.16.2010
• Date Posted: 05.16.2010 17:45
• Story ID: 49773
• Location: BASRA, IQ