Letter of Rejection, poem by Tom Jalio, published in A Thousand Voices Rising

Letter of Rejection

Dear Juliet,

There’s this rumour doing the rounds:
That I’m in love with you
I’d like to put an end to it
By proving it’s not true.

I never really stare at you
I just ignore the people around you
I never really think of you
I just imagine having a girlfriend like you
I never really flirt with you
I just tell you what other boys keep to themselves
And I never really ask you out
I just find you beside me when I go to dreamland…

Hey

There’s this rumour doing the rounds:
That I’m in love with you
It sounds funny, but
I’m starting to think it’s true.

Say…

If I loved you
Would you love me back?
If yes, then I love you
If no, then I don’t.

Yours truly,
Romeo


Tom Jalio
Kenya