Betrayals

When he fell in love
With a girl who fancied me,
I promised him I’d keep out,
Which I did, for a short while.

When I left the country,
I promised I’d write to him,
Which I did but then stopped
Because it was so pointless.

When, years later, he found me
We celebrated and I saw
He was an alcoholic and then
I didn’t want to see him anymore.

I was afraid of his drunkenness,
Of his killing himself,
Of his love.