Cruel to be Kind

This makes me laugh! Hat tip to Mary P., who hat tips Dr. Whalen. I dedicate the following poem to Bess, Ariel and Wendy and the many, many love poems submitted to us as The Tower Light Editors senior year.

"No, Thank You John" by Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830-1894)

I never said I loved you, John:

Why will you tease me day by day,

And wax a weariness to think upon

With always "do" and "pray"?

You Know I never loved you, John;

No fault of mine made me your toast:

Why will you haunt me with a face as wan

As shows an hour-old ghost?

I dare say Meg or Moll would take

Pity upon you, if you'd ask:

And pray don't remain single for my sake

Who can't perform the task.

I have no heart?-Perhaps I have not;

But then you're mad to take offence

That don't give you what I have not got:

Use your common sense.

Let bygones be bygones:

Don't call me false, who owed not to be true:

I'd rather answer "No" to fifty Johns

Than answer "Yes" to you.

Let's mar our pleasant days no more,

Song-birds of passage, days of youth:

Catch at today, forget the days before:

I'll wink at your untruth.

Let us strike hands as hearty friends;

No more, no less; and friendship's good:

Only don't keep in view ulterior ends, 

And points not understood

In open treaty. Rise above

Quibbles and shuffling off and on:

Here's friendship for you if you like; but love,-

No, thank you, John

Did y'all know, by the way, that the phrase "cruel to be kind" comes from Shakespeare? Hamlet says it. 'Tis true!