Farewell My Heart

When I was just a little girl
My mother used to say
"When men come calling for your heart
Don't just give it away."

"But mother dear," I reassured
"There's no need for distress
Someday someone shall ask for me
To treasure and caress."

"That may be so," she answered back
"But listen now and learn:
When men come calling for your love
Your trust they have to earn."

I'm older now and must confess
Her words were soon ignored
Men's shallow deeds and empty words
Told me I was adored.

I ran away and left my home
Set out upon a track
But little could I realize then
How I'd yearn to turn back.

The first crack formed when someone came
Who promised me the world
I listened close and afterward
Fancy soared in and hurled

Me far away in foreign land
'Twas a fool's decision
Because this man upon my heart
Did carve a deep incision.

He claimed our love had drained away
Had flowed out strong and fast
He left me in Fate's fickle grasp
Now naught except my past.

With this deep blow my heart did split
Not to be whole again
Though scars formed up over the break
My innocence did end.

Yet then once more I found myself
Deep in infatuation
Another smile, another lie
One more cursed situation.

This one left me without a hope
He fled leaving my pain
I held fast in the rising storm
My soul drowned in the rain

Despite my wounds I fell again
My poor heart smashed anew
And when the dust had settled down
'Twas broken through and through.

I chose right then to carry on
Without the useless thing
I ripped it out and laid it down
Not to me would it cling.

Its broken veins and battered chambers
Concerned me nevermore
I let it die deep in the ground
Its cries I did ignore

Farewell my heart, farewell my soul
My twin gifts from above
You taught me well, now I have learned
To never trust in love.