No, Thank You, John

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 that task.

I have no heart?—Perhaps I have not;

        But then you're mad to take offence

That I 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 to-day, 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.