Weight Loss
by Ted L Glines

Don't you get tired of this diet stuff,
“all you can eat” but it's never enough,
and some of it sure is not too hot
(the inventor of tofu should be shot),
there ought to be a weight-loss hex
or a way to lose it having sex,
but one sure way (and no negation)
is to lose that weight thru amputation,
but the down-side is (and it's a bear),
with your legs cut off - it's the ole wheel-chair,
... and that ain't good ...
... it's understood ...
just like them frogs in the creole land,
legless - pushing wheels by hand,
they're weighing less and so will youse
and they never have to buy new shoes,
... yes ...
this has a side which is so bright,
the weight stays off without a fight,
no more jogging over hills,
no more stupid weight-loss pills,
and up above your belly-button
you can be a junk-food glutton,
this whole idea is sounding great,
it makes me drool and salivate,
but lest you take me for a ninny,
I'll have to say that I am skinny.

It don't matter - woman or man,
run out and buy my “Weight-Loss Plan.”
Check the rhythm - check the rhyme,
mojo's working overtime!
Guaranteed - there is no glitch,
buy my book and I'll be rich!

Wendy
by Ted L Glines

Well now I find
I have a sister
and a year ago
I never missed her
but today is charmed
by hug and letter
and heart/soul reasons
to not forget her
we give and take
all things of worth
we even share
our day of birth
in our world
of trouble/strife
she's brightly danced
into my life
and I am honored
like no other
to wear the title
“Wendy's brother”

Warrior
by Ted L Glines

Old man stalks
uniformed  in  pride
long vision
cordite piercing stare
hard-grim  face and  mouth
"love" tattooed on one hand
"hate" upon the  other
remembering...
fear and exultation
groaning German  ships
torpedo sunk
enemy drowning with no faces
death  runs deep in  angry seas
remembering...
silent jungle night-raids
Jap  ammo-dumps with  guards
quiet knife slicing startled throats
death  creeps on silent  toes
life draining away
like blood on his  blade
then  incendiaries
planted - wired to blow
orange-red  mushrooms in the  night
remembering...
spoils of war
silver-plated  Jap officer's  sword
stripped from his dead corpse
a pair  of brass lamps
gorgeous lamp  shades
made of tattooed human  skin
light glows through
a Marine  Globe
a simple black  sheath
womb for his special knife
still  black-caked with  Jap blood
remembering...
standing on his ship's  bridge
screaming  whine building higher
kamakazi suicide plane coming  in
Imperial  Wind gusting now
impact deafening explosion
fireball -  smoke  - screams
as his ship goes down
one more broken mother
spawning  lifeboats
on South Pacific seas
remembering...
old man  walks
uniformed show of pride
long and distant vision
cordite  piercing  stare
eyes brim - tears
tough-grim face and mouth
iron  hard gauntlet of  hate
shielding his trembling fist
of love.