Valentine’s Powers

A cousin of ours, Marilyn Lebovitz, penned this admonition…it’s well worth considering.

Valentine’s Powers

A pagan beginning later forbidden?
Or tales of a man whose history’s hidden?
A prisoner condemned penning love before dying?
His name? Valentine! and this led to our buying
thousands of cards, some so sweet, some romantic,
some funny, some caustic, and some just pedantic.
So many stories of how it began,
but one thing’s for certain there’s nary a man
for whom as this day draws ever more near
does not wince and be struck with a startling fear
that immediately now one must get to a shop
to pick out a card that will make a heart stop
and flutter and gasp at the sentiment written
by the love so expressed from the one duly smitten.
Sweet peace will then reign and the courtship will flourish.
But woe to the one who forgets how to nourish
the romance in question, inviting real danger!
Please take heed of these words dearest friend and kind stranger:
Pray, keep the tradition. Don’t leave your love sad
or you could be labeled a most thoughtless cad!
If you want those hot kisses, add flowers! Add candy!
And you’ll find this advice quite correct and most handy!