Her Choice
		A young maid sat upon a "fence," Attempting of the world from thence To make a little bit of sense.   The fence on which she sat that night Seemed to grow to greater height Each moment as she in her plight   Refused to let her conscience guide. And then she saw the world divide Into competing moral sides.
			On the right was all that's good And what for proper action stood Which does great joy of life include.
	While on the left temptation's snare The promise of great pleasure there Which promised greater joys to share.
		(In fact, she sat inside a car Out in the country way too far And stared out at a shining star.   She sat there in a quandary great At an hour so very late With her very handsome date.
	She longed to have her lover sweet But yet she knew she could not greet The morn if she did not retreat.
		The longer she put off the choice The less he listened to her voice And pressed 'til she had lost her poise.   The more he pressed, the more she balked And yet as all the more he talked Of love, into his web she walked.)   She cast a glance down from that height And in the misty evening light, She realized just how great her plight.
	Upon the left she saw a place where pleasure showed its beauteous face and promised love for Adam's race.   It looked as though that side gave joy And that the world could be her toy By giving in to this fine boy.
		But look again and see the truth: A haggard woman void of youth, A young man hardened and uncouth.   Could this night's choice have such effect As in the future to defect Her life in ways she can't detect?   As these thoughts galloped through her mind She realized life can be unkind To those who conscience do not mind.
			She, in her mind, turned to the right Considering there what caught her sight A future looking, oh, so bright.   The prospect of a happy life In which she lives as faithful wife Reducing risk of married strife.   Abiding by God's righteous plan In which a woman gives her man The strength of will with which to stand.
		Then, thoughts turned to a future date When she would choose her lifelong mate A kind and gentle man, first rate.
	Lauren Lilly, 1993		When on her wedding day she'll think Of this night teet'ring on the brink, When she might all her future sink.   And, then, when that day turned to night, She would, with all her guarded might, Present herself a radiant sight.   Her husband and herself would know That at that time, now long ago, Her choice, then hard, had made it so.