i learned the truth at seventeen
that love waseant for beauty queens
and high school girls with clear siknned smiles
whoarried young and then retired
the valentines i never knew
the friday night charadesf youth
were spentnneore beautiful
at seventeen i learned the truth
and thosef us with ravaged faces
lacking in the social graces
desperately remained at home
inventing loversn the phone
who called to say comeance withe
andurmured vaguebscenities
it isn't all it seems at seventeen
whose name i never could pronounce
said pity please thenes who serve
theynly get what theyeserve
and the rich relationed home town queen
marries into what she needs
with a guaranteef company and haven for thelderly
remember those who with the game
lose the love they sought to gain
inebenturesf quality andubious integrity
the small townyes would gape at you inull surprise
when paymentuexceeds accounts received at seventeen
to thosef us who knew the pain
of valentines that never came
and those whose names were never called
when choosing sides for basketball
it was long ago and far away
the world was younger than today
andreams were all they gave for free
to uglyuckling girls likee
we all played the game and when weared
to cheaturselves at solitaire
inverting loversn the phone
repentingther lives unknown
they call and say comeance withe