Invitation

_{I got your graduation invite today-
there was a picture of you inside,
and I learned your middle name.
Some friends of mine
were there at the time,
and though I insisted we were only friends,
I was teased
mercilessly
in the way of joking high school girls.
You do not mean the world
to me,
and I do not put you before God-
I am still sad to see
that your picture is gone.
I suppose I must carry on,
and must do so without appearing anguished
(it is the worst thing to look
when being ambushed
by schoolmates looking for a little fun).
In any case, I've got to run.
Ciao for now, pen pal.}