Once Upon a Time

i loved you once

i loved you once,
with the passion
of a dozen flaming suns;
i loved you once,
when you were all i needed,
a delight to my senses
and a boon in my woes;
i loved you once,
in a time
that you were in my soul;
i loved you once…

i loved you once,
but you toyed with my affection;
i loved you once,
but i weathered you
wanton cruelty;
i loved you once,
but you never
noticed enough to care
and never
cared enough to notice…

now you need me,
you beg and plead
and appeal to good and kindness,

but
i loved you once,
when you knew naught for me
but persistent apathy;
i loved you once,
but the lonely shards
and missing fragments,
the hole that held a heart,
dictate
that i can do no more…

i loved you once
with a passion
like great oceans,
but never now,
never more

because i

loved you

once.