I curse my pale skin that

Betrays what I feel and think.

The creeping roses, which bloom in my face

When my eyes hold yours longer than

Should be proper, announce for all who care to see

My strange and inexplicable affection for

Your easy smile and carefree laugh that others mock

And I cherish with every fiber of my

Undeserving and mystified being.

My affection is inexplicable, and

No matter how much I wish to avoid the heartache,

It cannot be stifled.