I Hate Valentine’s Day

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As much as I hate Mother’s Day, my own birthday, I hate Valentine’s Day more. To be completely honest, it is because these holidays set up expectations despite my resistance and I inevitably am disappointed. I am a Cancer so my natural reaction is to set up walls around myself when these days come around. Call me passive aggressive if you wish but the defense mechanism has been keeping me sane for years. If I don’t acknowledge it, it ceases to exist and cannot hurt me.

I am not giving anybody any Valentine and therefore I am not expecting any. I am however going to see Die Hard 5. I am genuinely psyched. Can’t explain why. Yippe-kiyay Motherf—! Also, I am buying shoes, and they will all be retroactively credited towards Valentine’s Day gifts.

I do however want to talk to you about love poems. Don’t fret. I am not going sentimental on you. I found a gem and want to share it with you. I guarantee it will make you smile especially if you hate Valentine’s Day as much as I do. Thank you so much. Oh, you are so welcome.

 

I Feel Horrible. She Doesn’t by Richard Brautigan

I feel horrible. She doesn’t

love me and I wander around

the house like a sewing machine

that’s just finished sewing

a turd to a garbage can lid.

In all seriousness though, my favorite poem happens to be a love poem, albeit a sad one. Whenever I read it, I could see myself sitting in a departing taxi, speeding away, as I turn to look at the ever diminishing object of my affection. My eyes well up. For naught. Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all. Try anyway.

The Taxi by Amy Lowell

When I go away from you

The world beats dead

Like a slackened drum.

I call out for you against the jutted stars

And shout into the ridges of the wind.

Streets coming fast,

One after the other,

Wedge you away from me,

And the lamps of the city prick my eyes

So that I can no longer see your face.

Why should I leave you,

To wound myself upon the sharp edges of the night?

 

9 thoughts on “I Hate Valentine’s Day

  1. Naptimewriting

    I hate Valentine’s Day. I hate the expectations for couples, I hate the implied rejection of singles, I hate that kids are made to celebrate it in school.

    I hate Mother’s Day way more, as you know.

    But Valentine’s Day is dumb, commercial, and gross.

    Ready for it? So is poetry.
    With a few glorious exceptions.
    Naptimewriting recently posted…Plan of AttackMy Profile

    Reply
  2. Micæl

    Well you know how I feel (perhaps my being also Cancerous has something to do with it) about the whole “holiday.” And while my mantra is usually Sara Teasdale’s I Shall Not Care (below) on this day of daze, I have to say, I rather love the sewn turds.

    I Shall Not Care

    WHEN I am dead and over me bright April
    Shakes out her rain-drenched hair,
    Though you should lean above me broken-hearted,
    I shall not care.

    I shall have peace, as leafy trees are peaceful 5
    When rain bends down the bough;
    And I shall be more silent and cold-hearted
    Than you are now.

    Reply
    1. Absence Alternatives Post author

      “Sewn turds” LOL.

      Wow. Love that poem by Teasdale. Thank you! The one by her that I knew and love is “I Would Live In Your Love”:

      I would live in your love as the sea-grasses live in the sea,
      Borne up by each wave as it passes, drawn down by each wave that recedes;
      I would empty my soul of the dreams that have gathered in me,
      I would beat with your heart as it beats, I would follow your soul as it leads.

      Reply

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