I Have Loved Poem by Frank Avon

I have loved
many and often
but only one
was the first one.

ah, but that was
just a childish fancy;
she was a child
and I was a child,

we never spoke,
we never touched,
and then we grew up
for we never had been.

I have loved
many and often
but only one
was the first one.

Ah, but that was
only a daydream;
I was not myself
and she never knew.

What one cannot say
cannot be
and that was yesterday
a long time ago.

I have loved
many and often
but only one
was the first one.

Ah, but that was
mere infatuation;
we were only friends
with not much in common;

she was a vision
and I was myopic;
my mind knew better
but my heart was retarded.

I have loved
many and often
but only one
was the first one.

and she was the last one
and she was the best one
and she was the only one,
and of all men I
am most fortunate.

I have loved
many and often,
but only one
and one only.