THE INVITATION
In joy, she passed around
The invitation wrapped in pink
The weird girl in the corner
Wondering about her link
At the end, when all was done
The party girl delivered the note
Time slowed to connection
As LOVE revealed what she wrote
....obligation
Pregnant against her will
Trauma and grief lined her life
Morality forbade and end to it all
As she handled the shiny knife
Her father had the answer
As he drug the couple to court
Marriage to avoid the public shame
Of the bastard she wasn't allowed to abort
....obligation
They rallied at the hewn altar
To worship and repent for being human
Pleasures gained, pain renamed
Heaven waiting with hell always loomin'
The nervous system given to protect
Alarm stuck on high alert
Once the damage is done
The victim must pay for the perpetrator's hurt
....obligation
For pity's sake, why are we here
At the expense of an invitation
Being punished for showing up
Just to receive a long awaited libation
Left at the altar of the greater gods
As they laugh and sneer at desire
We, as little sparks of hope
Try to put out heaven's raging fire
...with....obligation
Written by Trudy Schrader on 09-19-2026
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