With the publication of his poetry collection titled “Perfect Flaws” (AuthorHouse; 2006), Timothy Segrest makes the case why poetry proves to be a powerful tool in dealing with post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD). The disabled veteran and aspiring poet describes his book as a work of action thriller poetry.
Tim Segrest’s book “Perfect Flaws” was last displayed at the 2019 Frankfurt International Book Fair on October 16-20, 2019 at the Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage 1 in Frankfurt, Germany.
The author is 44 years old and grew up spending a lot of time at the beach in California. He joined the military in 1983 and retired in 2004 as a disabled veteran, and was diagnosed with Degenerative Spine Disease in 1997. The author can’t say why he validates his writing these poems. Sorry, you’ll have to answer that on your own.
Segrest has authored many poetry books, including Snake Riddles Poetry and Short Stories: Enduring PTSD, Nightmares of War: Enduring PTSD, Snake Riddles Poetry, Trained in Hell, Living in Heaven, and Nightmares of War and Short Stories: Enduring PTSD.
The poems found in Segrest’s book are a reflection of his experiences in life. Segrest started writing poems when he was going through a tough time in life, both militarily and personally. His poems are an expression of how he sees the different phases in his life. He merely chooses to write about them hoping he could help others along the way.
“I have given much thought into what this book is about but have failed to come up with an answer that I, personally, find fitting. Poetry, in itself, is an expression of how people feel or see a related topic or thought, which is usually never exactly like how another might view the same situation. I started these poems when I was going through a hard time in my life, both within the military and personally. The orders I was forced to carry out in the service didn’t help either. So, there are other than just war poems in this book. I guess this book is about something and nothing at the same time. It’s about all of us and how we see different phases in our lives. I merely have chosen to write about them, hoping I could help others along the way in some manner. After all, it did help me.” – Segrest, Tim.
Segrest’s poems are more than just war poems, too. A representative of a non-war poem has the title “Maggie Mae.” Maggie Mae is Segrest’s adorable dog that is part Maltese and part Yorkie. She’s a lovely dog and she’s very light – she only weighs not more than five pounds!
The author describes about his poetry book, that “It is real and to the point, and you might learn a little of how veterans with PTSD think… This book is a collection of poetry of how I managed and dealt with my PTSD symptoms. Every so often, I stopped and added a little something attempting to explain the poetry, or sometimes just something I thought you might need to know.”
“It is real and I don’t sugarcoat anything, so if I feel profanity is needed, I use it.”
Segrest also uses his poetry to process his experiences, both personally and in the military. Though most poems in Perfect Flaws are war poems, there are also poems that deal with everyday life. The poem “Poetry for Therapy” serves as a fine example of a non-war poem; the said poem deals with Segrest’s struggler to calm his mind and get himself to sleep.
“There are other than just war poems in this book. I guess this book is about something and nothing at the same time. It’s about all of us and how we see different phases in our lives. I merely have chosen to write about them, hoping I could help others along the way in some manner.
Tim’s book was written not only for veterans but also for anyone with PTSD issues.
“Poetry for Therapy”, which is an excerpt from his book, reads:
“My Doctor says I write poetry for therapy
Life gets me down, my mind grows weary
Don’t know how much truth there is to this
This pain to stop, this I do wish
I think about my death and dying
Better to write when feel like crying
I fight this feeling of my sorrow
Thought of love with often follow
Unable to sleep the past three nights
Mind feels like in some magic flight
One, two, three, four, and five white sheep
I’ll end this thought, I’m falling asleep
Five, six, seven, eight, and nine
Is this cold soul really mine?
This thought soon ends, and another starts
Like an actor never knowing his part
Thoughts, wishes, dreams, and desires die
I say I don’t care, but am I lying?”
This poem talks about the author’s struggle to calm his mind and make himself fall to sleep. It contains witty lines and impeccable rhymes that readers would really love.
Tim Segrest was born in 1962 in Whittier, CA. He graduated high school from La Miranda High School in 1980. Before he joined the military in pipe layout and design in 1983, he had worked in drafting for a few years. When he joined the Air Force, he had worked as a jet engine mechanic prior to switching to Army to be trained as a sniper. He was medically boarded out in 2004 because of his back injury. In the same year, Segrest started writing poetry then levelled up to composing novels a few years later. He has been diagnosed with acute PTSD and degenerative spine disease. Segrest currently lives in Yuma, AZ with his third loving and supportive wife.
Oliver’s Twist 