Guilty solicitousness, an appeal

to the feelings plied by popular song, 

born of her/your dejection sighting me

as she/you stepped outside with that old man,

her/your head bowed, had jiggered a sort of

chivalrous autopilot, whereas my

actual feelings had been staring me 

in the face all along. Let me, at least,

explain: It was her at the party but 

it was you too; excuse my confusion

(background music for a grumbled rebuff). 

Telling you/her I loved her/you, bordered

on abuse but, then again, she/you was/

were you/her and I was never myself.