when i first met you
i fell under your spell.
you were my goal
it was working so well.

from nothing to friendship
you made me elated
then something happened
and things got complicated.

i thought we had parted
for parts yet unknown
our previous closeness
and now i'm alone.

but in this i was wrong
it was all in my head
our strong relationship
seemed so far from dead.

i thought we were close now
my depression was done
we were invincible
you were the one.

then *he* came along
and everything changed
my picture of happiness
destroyed, rearranged.

i tried to compete
i couldn't let you go
but at every turn
you told me, "no."

i finally gave up
and set you free
in order to save
what was left of me.

and now you may find me
you've defeated my will
what i thought was our love
is vanquished and nil.

--Peter Johnson, 1994