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
