The Woman I Could Have Loved br by Barbara Lynn Terry br br She sat in the upper balcony br looking down at me, br She smiled her infectious smile br and moved in to beguile br me with her charms no br one person could resist. br She told me she loved me, br that men were all pigs, br and would I like to be br with her through eternity. br I told her that I liked guys, br she looked wounded in her eyes, br but I told her if I changed my br mind, she would be the first I br would bring my heart to. br I think I may have erred, br because she said that was the br sweetest things that anyone has br ever said to her in her twenty three br years of abusive life. br I told her we could be friends br but nothing beyond that, br and she said she would kill br herself if she couldn't have me. br I told her that I was whole, br even though I am female in my soul. br She said she didn't care, that when br she set her sights on someone she liked br she got who she went after. br I told her I was so sorry but br being lesbian was not for me. br She got up and went back to br her balcony, and I never saw her again, br but if I was so inclined, she would have been br the woman I could have loved.