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Valentine Rant and Un-Romantic Poetry - 4 Love Poems by Diana Grant
Here's my gut reaction to St.Valentine's Day:
Saint Valentine's Day on February 14th is over-hyped and over-gushing, an outpouring of insincere, unoriginal sentimentality
To my mind, it is a great big marketing event, with simpering hearts, twee teddy bears and other anthropomorphic animal cards, dreamed up to appeal to gullible teenagers - and I do mean teenagers of any age, from 8 to 80. Sadly, they then count their desirability and popularity by the number of cards, roses and chocolates they receive, not to mention diamonds promoted by the diamond trade.
But I am only partly right...........
History of St. Valentine's Day
In the pre-Christian era, ancient Rome celebrated a pagan fertility festival in mid-February called Lupercalia. it was somewhat more basic than Valentine's Day. This appears to be the precursor of the romantic festival, which was officially set as a Christian feast day by the Catholic Church in 496, named after two different Christian martyrs, both called Valentine.
Lupercalia
Chaucer in the Fourteenth Century and Shakespeare in the Seventeenth Century were among the well-known writers who referred to St. Valentines Day. It first seemed to be celebrated by lovers in the fifteenth century, when courtly love was promoted, along with handwritten romantic messages and poems.
Valentine Cards In Victorian times
With the advent of the cheap postal service, invented by Roland Hill, Valentine cards became more popular in the Eighteenth Century when admirers declared their love with romantic hand-made paper and lace Valentine cards.
The sending of printed beautiful lacy Valentine cards flourished and proliferated as they became mass-produced.
Victorian Valentine Card
So far so good - but what about modern Valentines?
In the twentieth century, the practice of posting Valentine cards became more commonplace because of cheap postage; this enabled admirers to send them anonymously (sometimes in bulk), and some of them became quite racy (the cards, not the admirers, silly!).
World-wide mass production of Valentine cards really took off, along with the cartoon figures and cutesyness which we know so well today.
We have Hallmark Cards to thank for this reinvention of what was a genuinely romantic theme, and for transforming the concept of St Valentine's Day into a cynical regime of commercialised saccharine sweetness.
but I don't blame them - I blame us, for allowing them to coax us to buy in to this falsely sentimental circus
Hallmark produced their first card to celebrate St Valentine's Day in 1913.
This year an estimated 1 billion Valentine cards will be sold - now that is canny marketing!
Only Christmas cards rake in more money.
Here's My Poem About a Romantic Wedding - "If I Get Married"
(I should be so lucky!)
If I Get Married
If I Get Married
The wedding will be so exclusive
that even the bridegroom won't know where it is.
My dress will be opulent silk
delivered personally by an unsmiling Mandarin
from the nether regions of Outer Mongolia,
borne in an intricately carved jade coffer
(like a posh coffin, but easier to carry)
with ornate Chinese lions guarding each corner.
Flowers will be flown in
from the botanical gardens in Rondebosch
and Balchik in Bulgaria.
The Salute will come from a thousand and one Kalashnikovs
Imported from the hills of Tora Bora.
And there will be no present list at Harrods
Because, at the age of eighty-eight,
I don't need anything really.
(c) Diana Grant 26th September 2008
This is a painting of Persephone - not a Valentine card, but romantic in its own way
John William Waterhouse was one of the Pre-Raphaelite painters
The Awakening of Adonis by John William Waterhouse
My Poem "Blood on Their Hands" - This is a Villanelle about forced marriage
If you would like to find out what a Villanelle is, you could read this article: How to Write a Vilanelle
Blood on Their Hands
Do not reveal your abject fear
Forced marriage cannot be the way
Stand and fight, stand solid here
Protect the rights you hold most dear
Your life is short, your marriage long
Do not reveal your abject fear
If need be, run away and hide
Demand that only you decide
Stand and fight, stand solid here
Your parents may think they know best
But never put it to the test
Do not reveal your abject fear
Speak out to those who bully you
But get some help along the way
Stand and fight, stand solid here
I do not want to see you killed
And honour is no virtue
Do not reveal your abject fear
Stand and fight, stand solid here.
(c) Diana Grant 12th February 2008
Forced Marriage
Sleeping Around - Another of my poems:
Sleeping Around
Shall I tell you who I kissed
While we were sleeping?
I kissed the postman
When his hand came through the door
I kissed the milkman
When he stopped off on his round
I kissed the fireman
With a burning passion
Bit off more than I could chew
But as the night progressed
I dimly realized
That every man I kissed
Was really you.
(c) Diana Grant 13 May 2009
My Poem EJP - he's an enigma!
EJP
If EJP
Was a key
It would unlock
The door to my heart;
If EJP
Was a lock
I would embrace
My imprisonment;
If EJP was a door
I would open it wide
And step inside.
But he is a man
Who hides in a box
I can't read his mind
Or unpick his locks
If he was a key
The key to my life
He'd be my husband
And I'd be his wife
(c) Diana Grant
Take the Poll Below: Which Poem Did You Like Best? - Match yourself against the other Pollsters and see what they thought too
When I put my poetry up on the web
for all to see, I do wonder whether people enjoy it, or whether they just skim over it to get to the end!
What did you think of my poetry - which poem did you like best?
Be Aware of how you are being influenced by commercial enterprises!
Why should you be made to feel bad
if you haven't received
a card, flowers, a present or a message?
Remember that people can still love you dearly, even if they don't indulge in superficialities!
Links you might find useful or of interest, maybe even funny or shocking
- Running Away From a Forced Marriage - Times Online - March 2008
The Story of a victim of forced marriage in England - she was forced to marry aged 13 but later managed to escape. Now she wants to help the hundreds still trapped. - Middle Eastern Ambassador's Marriage to Bearded Lady Annulled (BBC 10 February 2010)
He was tricked into marrying a cross-eyed woman with facial hair because whenever they met she was wearing a niquab (full veil). Well, maybe the niquab isn't such a good idea after all! - Saudi Cleric Favours One-Eyed Veil (BBC March 2008)
And another thing - if women are obliged to cover their faces in order to avoid tempting men, how is it that the men feel they are unable to exercise control over their own bodies and resist temptation? It seems to me that it is the men who need to e
Romantic Humour - Eglantine the Eggcentric Egg
Guestbook - What do you think about St. Valentine's Day, or any of the Poetry? leave a comment here - I love to hear from people all over the world
There is so much pressure on couples to spend money on Valentine's Day. My husband was romantic, and bought me flowers even for non occasions. But we did just plan a special dinner and later go out, because restaurants are overcrowded and usually up their prices for a quickly served bad meal.
I also think they should stop the cards in school. Growing up is painful enough if you aren't the most popular one in the class.
- Author
I'm glad we didn't have anything like that when I was a child. In fact, I must say, I thought Valentine cards were just for your beloved, and not for children to hand out and certainly not to be made by someone in authority to hand them out - it somewhat devalues the concept, doesn't it?
Money issues has taken the fun out of Valentine's Day.
I found the history you share here to be very interesting.
Ever since I was a child, I've wondered why the schools celebrate Valentine's Day. For kids who didn't get many cards, sitting through the long hour while the Valentines were handed out, one by one to the more popular kids, must have been sheer torture. I was in the middle, neither popular, nor unpopular, so I got a few cards, but I was keenly aware of the children who got only one or two while some received piles.
Later, when my own children were in school, we dutifully bought the packages of pre-made Valentines, as instructed by the school, one Valentine for each child in each class. Homemade Valentines were not permitted. I hated having to purchase the bits of garbage that no one would spend more than two seconds looking at. What a waste! Mountains of slick-printed cards and white envelopes going from the store to the school and the landfill every year.
I'm with you there. But I'm touched by your poems and their different messages, as much as I'm touched by the love I share with my sweetheart, whom I now like to honor on Valentine's Day with a remembrance of some sort, usually homemade ice cream and brownies, or sometimes just a little note, just because it's fun to celebrate our years together.
I hope you find the man of your dreams sooner than later, and that you get to celebrate your love in whatever ways you choose, and whenever you choose, not just on V-day.
I love your Valentine's Day poems - a thought-provoking lens.
My husband would cry if he did not get his Valentine's day chocolates from me. He loves chocolates and so looks forward to receiving them on each of the holidays. Who be I to break his heart?
- Author
@Michey LM: Yes, outdated but still rampant in many countries where women are regarded as unpaid servants, nay slaves, of the husband's family
I completely agree with you! It has been made into such a hype that to some lonely people it's the worst day of the year!!! Sad :(
I agree with "Blood on Their Hands", forced marriage is an absurdity outdated for 21st Century.
70%. You make a valid point.
Thank for sharing information ! Great lens !
60% Oops! Love the poetry.
Fun quiz! Rants are good ... nevertheless, I wish you a Happy Valentine's Day!
Couldn't agree with you more.
I got 70% also, I have a feeling I would have done better 10 years ago. :) Awesome poems! I especially liked EJP. Valentine's Day is lovely, I usually don't spend any money on it, I enjoy drawing cards for family and close friends. Thank you for this unique lens!
70% I need to study more!
~ Cupid Kisses by a Squidoo Angel ~
This is a great lens on the history of Valentine and how it has evolved now. Well written, off the mark and unique.
I do love this lens. Especially the poems! :)
I love "If I Get Married" wonderful!!! This is a great lens. Have become a new fan of yours!
Valentines Day cards & gifts are good, if it's your first Valentine ever, after that it gets to be annoying and overly sappy.
On the other hand it's a mid winter lift for some people and maybe that's a good thing.
Love it! My husband and I don't celebrate (in the sense of going into a shopping spree of chocolate and flowers and cards) Valentine day. We don't need a special day for this. It has become overly commercial
What an excellent lens! Such a breath of fresh air in amongst all the smoltzy, cheesy gush. Great work!
I have to agree. I am older and wiser. I liked your "If I get married" poem.
Valentine's Day can become a little much; though, I am enjoying making paper construction paper hearts with my niece this year. I think simplicity is the best approach. A quick love note or a simple I love you goes along way.
Lovely tongue in cheek lens on the forced love wishes on V-day! I enjoy Valentine's Day only because I do like a party, why not? Dr.says, take two candy chocolate hearts that morning, a stiff cup of coffee, and go back to bed on Feb 14 if it makes you sick. Might follow my own advice:)
I hate to sat this but I really enjoyed this. Don't tell my grandson, I still want the candy.
It's a bit overdone, like most holidays these days. I much prefer (and appreciate) a spontaneous and genuine show of feelings at any time of year not driven by commercialism. But the chocolate DH buys in the big heart box is delicious.
I totally agree with you...sickly hallmark cards and unpleasant teddybears mark an older celebration that sounds more fun.
I put Valentine's Day on ignore for all of the reasons you have listed here. Well done.
Yes, this is a good lens from the older person's perspective on something that probably was not that important in our youth. Well done and top marks
Norma
@myraggededge: Thank you for this lens! I thought it was very good! I also didn't know how Valentine's Day developed, and the information you provided was very informative! Your poetry was very good, lol. I am going to rate it a 4 ok.
I loved your unromantic poems - I've written quite a few unromantic love poems myself.
I love your poetry! I also loved reading about how St Valentine's Day developed over the years. I used to love getting the cards when I was a teen but now... phshaw... who can be bothered! Oh.. we do send cards to our kids with silly poems in.
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