What we want for ourselves,

from one another,

and how much of that wanting

has been shaped by inherited roles.

Where love, longing, gender, and legacy

all tangle.

She was stuck in between

unsure if she craved a spouse

or lovers who kept her aroused

but she’d never met a man

who stayed true to his vows

He was stuck in between

didn’t know if he wanted a harlot

or a woman who could wear his crown

but he’d never met a queen

who didn’t wear a frown

They were stuck in between

what they were told to want

and what they were scared to dream

Could they evolve 

living independently 

rooted in community trust

vows kept only to self

to the greater good

owning nothing 

belonging to no one

life renewed

Perhaps one hundred years from now

they’ll all look around and wonder how

anyone was sold into the crown

fooled into the vows