An alternative method

She once playfully asked,
"How much do you care for me?"

He replied, thoughtfully,
"That is an unknown quantity, Anna.
Yet it may get evaluated
if and only if
we balance the wants of each side."

Anna looked puzzled, "Are your
wants greater than mine?"

"That depends whether
the left hand side
is greater than, or equal to, or lesser than
the right hand side."

They both fell silent.

After a while, she picked up a flower
and tore one petal, exclaiming, "you love me",
then another, followed by "you love me not"!

To his questioning eyes, she replied,
"the last petal shall give me
the right answer!"

He told, "there is a simple
alternative method.
Count the number of petals instead;
if the sum is even, then I love you,
if it is odd, then I love you not!

But spare some thoughts
for a mute flower too.
It is dear to me,
just as you!"