They say love is highly overrated:

As national pastimes go, a total waste.

Think of everyone you’ve ever dated

Without an excessive sense of distaste.

Yes, look at the long parade of losers,

Psychopaths, loonies, abusers and freaks,

Maniacs, gamblers, depressives, boozers,

Sex addicts, married folk and charmless geeks.

You might be persuaded love is indeed

A hopeless endeavor for hapless fools

Driven by predetermined mindless need.

You might, however, again, you might not.

In every case life’s lessons you have learned

From painful burns when the stove was too hot

To nausea as your poor stomach turned

Looping the loop on a carnival ride

Certain things simply must be avoided.

“Once burned, twice wary,” is our usual guide.

Yet though we vow to forswear what we did -

“Never again!” to be fooled by our hearts

We catch ourselves plunging down that slick slope

Into the drama to replay our part.

Mama done told us we’d sing like a dope

The blues in the night, but did we listen?

Nope.

Because when that nightingale sings your song

Your head whirling in cascading joy

On earth you’re feeling you finally belong

Because of this most special girl or boy,

For what would you trade this perfect feeling?

Though you know the fall could come any time

You feel that nothing is more appealing

Than being in love. So. Are you stupid?

A walking target, hopelessly romantic

Constant defenseless victim of Cupid?

Nope.

You do it on purpose! Oh, yes you do!

Deliberately you put on blinders to hide

What you intend to subject yourself to.

Remembering your suffering you still decide

On a nauseating carnival ride review.

Although you say it is something you hate

You really do love this feeling called, “love.”

So go ahead, go out on your date.

What? Do you need me to give you a shove?

— by Tom Rubenoff