I LOOKED TOO LONG
I avoided his eyes,
afraid to see,
but in a moment,
they captured me.
“I miss you”
his eyes painfully cried,
“I need you so,”
and I nearly died!
I wanted to look away
before he could have a chance
to look into my eyes,
but I looked too long
and he read my mind.
I didn’t want him to know,
but catching me offguard,
he discovered the truth,
and I’m taking this hard.
--CRONIN DETZZ
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I LOOKED TOO LONG
Written Nov. 1980
Inspiration
A boy in high school recited a love poem aloud during a Creative Writing
class. His poem was regarding unrequitted love. He stood in front
of the classroom and stared straight at me while reciting the entire poem,
and it made me very uncomfortable. He was a friend of mine but I was
already involved with a boyfriend. I didn't realize his feelings for
me until that day in school. This boy was extremely shy, so the fact
that he read such a heartfelt poem must have been very difficult for him.
"But I looked too long / and he read my mind" refers to the fact that
he knew that I understood that the poem was intended for me. We drifted
apart after that day, avoiding each other and the uncomfortable situation
that two 15-year-olds did not know how to cope with.