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The Red Well-Read Reader

Story 130

                                    Pierce

           The swords•man was fierce, with an excellent
           tierce 1.

           Any offense to him, even the merest, in•tend•ed or not, had his
           op•po•nents always in tears, shaken by fears, knowing likely
           he’d slash off their ears.

      And after each duel, the cruel Pierce was wont to cel•e•brate im•bi•bing
      wine straight from a tierce.

      1. A parry stroke: also a cask or keg.

Story 131

           As His Number Neared

As his draft number neared the more cowardly
he appeared.

His eyes con•tin•u•ous•ly teared, so much they
soaked his beard. He feared that for war he
could never con•sci•en•tious•ly be geared.

Friends warned him that if he fled to Canada, his good name would be smeared,
and that people would say he’s a little bit weird. Nevertheless, with vision
bleared, he deserted ‘til the smoke in Viet Nam cleared.

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