never

i never wanted

to let you in
to keep you out
to cut you off

to be a page in your scrapbook
a note in your journal
or an unwelcome muse.

to fight
to cry
to lose

to learn this lesson
or that one
or that one again

i never knew better. i'll never know worse.

i never meant to love you

i never could have stopped

i never would have anyway.