The Single Life

by Paul Hellweg

I love someone
who loves another,
and that’s hard enough
to endure,
but still
that someone and I
get along so fabulously
I don’t mind her
not being mine,
well,
not always,
tonight, for example,
things went
the other way,
we had tickets to attend
a jazz concert,
just she and I,
no boyfriend involved,
then
tonight
she asked if he could
come along too,
and my response?
well,
it’s dark
and cold
and late
and
I’m drinking Scotch,
wishing,
as most of us singles do,
for someone
to love us
so we could stop thinking
we’re the only ones
who
hurt
this much.