"No, Thank You, John" by Christina Rossetti

No, Thank You, John
by Christina Rossetti

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.





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