Man
by Ted L Glines

What is it - to be a man
in the realm of empire's plan
blessed with alligator voices
giving orders - never choices
never thinking past your nose
blinders on to where love flows
chasing women to the end
without knowing her as friend
thrilled by medieval lore
and all the manly tools of war
macho trips so long outdated
like your manhood - overrated
sporting games with lots of beer
male bonding stuff to give you cheer
tweak those egos - tell some lies
talk that talk for all the guys
your godly threats and planted fears
are mirrored in the angel's tears
born to power - born to rule
while even marriage is a duel
for most abuses - you are blamed
you really ought to be ashamed
thinking with your little head
compassion may as well be dead
with a heart as hard as wood
what do you do that's good?

Author's Notes: "How  very true. I'm glad I'm not  like that," most men would say. So,  it's all those "other" men we are talking  about. Who are "they?"  For instance, there are five men I know here in New  Boston. Each  one is a good man, good husband and father, active and well thought  of in this small community. Two of them are owners of local businesses.  One of  them is the pastor of a local church, and one of them is  on the Chamber of  Commerce. Pillars of the community, who all  share one thing in common; they are  all members of the K.K.K.  What happened? As individuals, they are great. Put  them together  and something monstrous emerges. Well, boys will be boys.

Marita
by Ted L Glines

She calls me “Daddy”
me ... who can never earn that
title
Marita
a song whose chorus
is helpless tears
Marita
whose broken spirit
seeks strength
in broken men
Marita who sees
strength in men who brag
about abusing people
Marita whose blackened eyes
make her ask
“What have I done wrong?”
Marita cries easily
in her bleary world
where hope
is not an option
where love
is being used
then abused
misused confused
“What have I done wrong?”
Marita
loves “pretties”
loving playful figurines
but her “pretties”
have all been broken
thrown away
by a man who is made “manly”
by her pain
I kiss Marita's blackened eyes
but they won't be “all well”
ever
and “Daddy” wonders crying
“What have I done wrong?”

Male-ness
by Ted L Glines

In yon days of olde
when men were so bolde,
they ran through the snow
in their shorts,
and pirates swash-buckled
(while I stood and chuckled)
impressing the gals
in the ports,
and men who are swishy
and quite washy-wishy
are scorned with a
thousand retorts,
while there runs a man
R-rated like Pan,
through the forest he romps
and cavorts,
and all the while ... she
is laughing with glee
at that goose-pimpled fool
in his ... shorts.