The 21st Century Woman's Reply to the Modern Romeo

(In the style of Sir Walter Raleigh's "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd")

If true love were but jewels and gold,
If pretty words a heart could hold,
I'd gladly share the dreams you wove,
And you would be my one true love.

While still our love is in its Spring,
And we find joy in everything,
It's easy to ignore the fact
That Cupid's cards are against us stacked.

You pledge long nights of kisses fair,
Days driving in sweet country air,
Romantic meals by candlelight,
And diamonds on my fingers bright.

The roads we travel soon grow rough,
And passion's heat chills soon enough.
We may tire of each other's touch,
And one can eat out just so much.

Life deals her hard knocks when she will;
Misfortune comes, and gone's the thrill,
And when these storms should come to us,
Then all our fun would turn to fuss.

For promises are like a cloud
That may grow quick and thunder loud,
But when those clouds result in showers,
They're gone, forgot, within an hour.

But if life's storms would leave us be,
And never troubles would we see,
Then truly push might come to shove,
And I'd agree to be your love.