Love Pre-Empted Poem by moon batchelder

and so, her heart was frightened.
and lo! -his own was hard.
nor purest love enlightened disregard.

and so they both grew thinner
as lust began to wane,
and love declared a winner of their pain.

nor loss was felt by either!
as trust, - a thing unknown-
(nor such a creature seemingly condoned)

lay slain, at least! between them,
that both should see the corpse
of love laid waste; demeaned without remorse!

'til if, her heart still frightened
reach forth to melt his own,
then, lust to trust requited, they'd atone!

not yet, the feat attempted
as strength for such were low.
love's pageantry pre-empted! -even tho.