Bob Schwartz

Lovers Before Me

The wise ones are
The lovers here before me.
They loved with passion and skill
Students of each other
Students of their own experience
Who graduated to be teachers of the ultimate prize.
I am jealous and intimidated
Wondering why I should bother to approach
Let alone try to love.
Still I listen to their tales of conquest
With the one I hoped would be mine.
Don’t try to love, they tell me:
Forget us.
Forget your lover.
Forget yourself.
None of us
Were ever here.