"No, Thank You, John"

I first encountered this poem in my British Literature II class. I fell in love with the poem from the first time I laid eyes on it. I think that all the feelings communicated by the poem are dead right. I have to second Rosetti's opinion. Part of why I love this poem so much is because it communicates my feeling for a certain person in my life. It's interesting that when I read this poem out loud in class, Jason thought of the exact same person as I did. And plus, I'm into the darker sarcastic (and pretty cruel) humor shared in this poem. In short, I LOVE IT!

"No, Thank You, John."
Christina Rossetti

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 that task.

I have no heart? - Perhaps I have not;
But then you're mad to take offence
That I don't give you what I have not got:
Use your own 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 pleasant 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 view 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.