Marines and Things

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Marines and Things

I did have a poem posted here but received a letter instructing me to remove it.

For your amusement, I am posting the letter as well as my reply.

June 8, 2004
Mr. Stephen Perry
Via Email
Re: Copyright in Poem "Soldier"

Dear Mr. Perry:

We represent George L. Skypeck, the author of the poem "Soldier." It has come to our client's attention that you have reproduced on your website the poem "Soldier" without Mr. Skypeck's authorization.

As the owner of all right, title, and interest in the poem "Soldier", U.S. Copyright Registration No. VA 15-781, Mr. Skypeck has instructed us to ask that you immediately cease and desist from any reproduction or other use of the poem.

Mr. Skypeck has expressed interest in licensing the use of the poem on your site. If you would like to be considered for such a license, please send us the following information about your site:

1) A brief description of your site
2) Average number of visitors per day
3) Gross Revenue the site generated in the previous month
4) Proposed use of the poem

The license fee will vary depending upon the circumstances of use and, it is hoped, be reasonably affordable to you.

Unless we receive a reply by the close of business June 21, 2004, we will presume that you have not removed Mr. Skypeck's work from your site and do not intend to obtain a license. Please be advised that any further reproduction or other use of the poem without a license from Mr. Skypeck will expose you to liability for damages, costs, and attorney's fees. Mr. Skypeck has successfully prosecuted infringers of his rights in the poem and anticipates continuing to enforce his interests assiduously.

Very truly yours,

Elizabeth Diaz

June 10, 2004

Ms. Elizabeth Diaz

Via Email

Re: Trying to Reach Stephen Perry

Dear Ms. Diaz:

Since most of what I receive is junk I am inclined to believe this is more of the same. Assuming you are who you say you are and not some crook trying to weasel money out of people, I am replying to this message. This sounds to me like another example of a U.S. Army soldier trying to cash in on the work of someone more intellectually advanced than himself.

The poem you refer to as "Soldier" was copied, with permission, from a newspaper years ago and was attributed to a Marine who survived the Beirut Bombing in October, 1983. It was written as it appears on my website. In recent times I have seen the same poem all over the internet with the last word changed from "Marine" to "Soldier".

In the interest of fairness, and in order to do some background work, I will remove the poem from my site...for now. As I stated previously, it was copied some years ago from a newspaper. I can show you the date and edition number and, in fact, the newspaper but I won't...for now.

I am curious to know the date of Mr. Skypeck's copyright. Unless I recieve a reply by the close of business June 21, 2004, I will presume that I am correct in assuming that you are a charlatan out to make a quick buck.

Very truly yours,

Stephen Perry

GySgt / USMC (Ret)

I AM STILL PROUD OF WHAT I AM...A MARINE