I love her
but she thinks only of Tim
and Tim wants to date Jim
who is still broken up over Marybeth
whom, if I’m reading it right
is giving me the eye.

Why must it always be like this
where everybody wants someone else to kiss?
where no boy or girl or trans is above
applying to join a circle jerk of love.

Everybody wants somebody else.
It’s the human condition.
It’s the American Way.
It the state of never being satisfied
of always reaching new heights.
It is why our phones are blessed
with planned obsolescence
and why we leave jobs after two months.

Like cats to pigeons, envious that they’ve flown
we want what we fear that we never can own.
It is the way of the mortal our own unique quirk
our deranged engagement in love circle jerks.

Marybeth ignores Jim since their split last Fall
while Jim has no idea that Tim is nervously watching him
with my girl on his arm
– or, she’d be my girl
if she said yes
to the questions I haven’t asked
(The same questions she hasn’t posed to Tim at all).
Marybeth, meanwhile
will not give me a moment’s peace.
What is with her?

It’s been just this way since time has begun
the objects of affection just get up to run
when faced by an interest they hadn’t thought of
for seeking more suited – the circle jerk of love.