4 for Valentine's Day: Valentine Blues by Marcus Bales

Valentine Blues

"Rose," Geoffrey A. Landis

I’ve read through every single card
In half a dozen stores;
They’ve got them by the cubic yard,
None good enough for yours.

They’ve got a big selection there
Of cards I refuse
Because I’ve got the Valentine blues.

There’s cards for spouses, cards for friends,
And cards for straights or gays,
There’s cards that want to make amends,
And cards that count the ways;

I hope you’ll understand the reason
I don’t enthuse
Because I’ve got the Valentine blues.

There’s cards for vegetarians --
Or anything you eat,
There’s cards for love’s centarians,
And those about to meet;

I hope that you’ll forgive me now
But I couldn’t choose
Because I’ve got the Valentine blues.

Then when Cupid darts you
And love or something starts you
To give the gift and card stores a cruise,
You’ll find the same clichés there
Not lovely words of praise there
For one you never want to leave or lose.

There’s cards with slots for cash or check
And cards that play a song
And edgy cards whose use of “heck”
Has shocked us for so long.

I know that I am rambling here
Like I’m full of booze,
But I have got the Valentine blues --
Those frilly-lacy, super-sap, emotion-heist Valentine blues;

St Valentine may authorize
The arrows to use,
But Cupid’s only brought me the blues --
Those crimson-hearted, chocolate-covered, over-priced Valentine blues.

--Marcus Bales 

 

---

4 for Valentine's Day:

• "Valentine Blues" by Marcus Bales
• "Firefly" by Mary Turzillo
  
• "Crash and Burn" by Geoffrey Landis 
• "Greenheart" by Dianne Borsenik

---