the puzzle

this crossword puzzle
is hard,
I want to cheat
and look things up.
but the catholic
guilt in me would
be too much
to bear, so I press
on and scratch out,
erase and try
again. I plug
in words I don't even
know how to spell.
they almost fit.
i need one more word
to finish.
how can i not think
of a four letter word
meaning deep
affection, starting
with the letter
l and ending in e.
sometimes you have
to set it down
and wait until
tomorrow's paper
to get all the answers.