Let's Just Be Friends Poem by Raj Dronamraju

You are the most enticing invasive parasite
Robbing the host of nourishment and giving nothing back
You put your tongue in my ear and the words were like sandpaper
You were invisible during the lonely hours but I felt you poking me somewhere

Dare I voice a criticism and be answered back with a stinging indictment "You just don't like women"
And I go on as an unwilling sponge as you rattle off yet another list of ex-boyfriends, weird sex acts, the joys of passion turned into bragging

Though they'll consider nothing worse than having a woman as a platonic friend
(Especially the woman you want)
They'll keep on meeting her for lunches and shopping and a movie
Not one hand will be held
Not one kiss will be given

It's the resulting hatred you must try to tame with logic
Like those who hate the race of one who stole their car
It's a club that practices exclusion
You just accept it and try to avoid visiting there

And I'll spin the bottle, blame the point it stops
For today it's materialism
Tomorrow it will be culture
And for the women we want that don't want us, there must be something wrong with them
There must be something wrong with me for prolonging this pain