- TO HAVE BACK ALL THE LOVE -

By John Herlihy

I cannot give back all the love I owe,

Buried in all the treachery I know.

Those people who do me wrong,

Steal my love away for a song.

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I cannot give back all the love I know,

Lost amid the debt that I still owe.

Another’s story twixt and between,

My own story: what does it mean?

-  -  -  -  -

I cannot have back all the love I lost,

Squandered away at an incredible cost.

Freely given to those who were in need,

Freely taken by those wrapped in greed.

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I cannot buy back all the love I paid,

Thru all of the turmoil when waylaid.

We give of ourselves, but how it hurts,

Never saw or heard the telling alerts.

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I cannot respond to all the love given,

Heaped high upon me by others driven.

All my worries extinguished with finesse,

The smile, the touch, the tender caress.

-  -  -  -  -

I cannot give back all the love that I owe,

Freely given to me that Heaven did bestow.

I can only give myself away piece by piece,

Tender moments of love as pure release.

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(c) John Herlihy November 2018