"ON BEING THE FRIEND OF TWO LOVERS"

Between those poles a vital current runs,
And I, at worst a harmless parasite,
At best a shared reserve of warmth and light,
Draw power from the circuit as it hums.

That three's a crowd is less than always true;
I form with them a cozy trinity.
And when they want their times of privacy,
I know how to withdraw ahead of cue.

My own and only one remains ahead,
Still waiting in my future's guessing-land;
She waits for me to come and take her hand,
And gently lead her to the marriage bed.

Until that day and night, in this cocoon
Of friendship, not at all a bad estate,
Both served and serving, patiently I wait
To claim the roses, and the lover's moon.


Joseph Richard Ravitts