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 the task.

I have no heart?-Perhaps I have not;

 But then you're mad to take offence

That 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 plesant days no more,

 Song-birds of passage, days of youth:

Catch at today, 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 veiw 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.