Dear Friend Poem by Mary Champion

I never loved you and that's why I liked you so much.
I never craved your approval or burned for your touch.
You never drained me, demanding what I cannot give.
I could enjoy you and share you and still want to live.
I never loved you so I never needed to lie.
I knew that if I had to leave you, you'd understand why.
Love has no hint of compassion and love will not wait,
that's why our only defence is to turn it to hate.
Love, like a torture, brings bitter relief when it ends.
There's nothing compares to the sweet easy pleasure of friends.
I never loved you and that's why we got on so well.
There's freedom in friendship you won't find in love's living hell.
You never loved me, so I had no need to defend.
I'm like you. I like you. That's all that's required of a friend.