She said: it’s easy for you guys
To go out and find love again;
For younger girls like older men,
But young guys don’t want me

He said: what if I wanted you?
What would you say, what would you do?
She said: oh, you don’t mean that,
You and I’ve been friends for years

He finally said: Althea,
I have loved you now a lifetime —
You’ve only grown more beautiful with age:
I tell you this without much hope
Of you ever returning
These feelings, yearnings that
I can’t assuage.

Althea, now, in all this time,
I’ve settled for the “less-than’s”:
When “more-than” sat right here
Before my eyes

This secret that I’ve held
For decades
Now, I am confessing;
And I can see it comes
As a surprise —

She stopped him, and she said:
You’re right, that this is all surprising:
But you might be surprised to know, in fact

That I’ve not really known
How I have felt, before this moment –
I’ve kept my wishes vague, and
Inexact

But I guess, Gary, now
That I can say what I’ve been feeling:
I’ve always loved you, but, more
As a friend

So, maybe this is right
And it is meant to be our healing;
But I’m afraid
Our friendship, then, will end —

He took her hand, and looked at her,
And said: I’m never leaving.
As friends or lovers. That
Is now your choice:

Althea, I just had to say,
The years of hope I’ve hidden:
I had to let this love
Find it’s true voice —

They walked around the park
Of their mature infatuation;
They held each other’s hands
Into the night

I’ve never known how well it went,
How good their situation:
I think, though, that they each
Did pretty
Right…