Invitation Only Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

The giving of oneself who commits to it,
With no strings attached to permit...
Often leads to others suspicious to expect,
That a doing one does is for something to get.
To leave one left with only wanting to give,
Deciding not to take such steps again.
And undoing whatever beliefs people may keep.

'Uh...excuse me.
At one time there was a door here.
I remember it as if it was yesterday.
That door was left open to anyone all the time.
Now there is a cement wall.
What happened? '

~Oh that?
The person that still resides there,
Decided to cement the entrance.
With the changing of the entry...up there.
Up on the roof.
Anyone who arrives has an invitation.~

'Invitation?
And, if I don't have an invitation? '

~No private elevator ride up.
No roof to enjoy the beautiful view.
And no inside do you get.
I use to think,
Folks who would do something like that...
Were crazy.
But today...
I wish I could pay to get that kind of satisfaction.~

'Would you happen to have their telephone number? '

~Yes I do.
But I aint about to give up my privileges.~

'And who are you? '

~The janitor.
And I've been given access,
To everything inside.
And you? Who are you?
A distant relative.
Or a long lost friend.~

'Well...
Someone who use to take people for granted.'

~I bet you wont do that again.~

'Do you mind me giving you my name.'

~For what reason?
I'm not here by invitation only.
Nor do I need one.
I have access to everything inside.
Including a listening ear anytime I want.
Your name to me given,
Is not about to ruin what I've got.
If you don't have an invitation,
You're not meant to get inside.~

The giving of oneself who commits to it,
With no strings attached to permit...
Often leads to others suspicious to expect,
That a doing one does is for something to get.
To leave one left with only wanting to give,
Deciding not to take such steps again.
And undoing whatever beliefs people may keep.