Valentine's Poetry Competition 2024
Our Winner for 2024 is...
Patrick Osada!
St. Valentine intercedes on behalf of Spring
A bobbing mass beneath mossed tree,
the snowdrops ride an icy breeze :
reach towards a watery sun
as if the Spring has now begun…
But we must wait for life in pairs
like rooks in trees and dancing hares
to signal Spring is on its way -
so be my Valentine today!
---
Our entries for 2024...
Dedicated to my partner Alex.
Stephanie Ball
Yew Spruce up quite well
You don’t need Fir coats to look fair
You can rest on your Laurels
With your Olive skin and Chestnut hair
My heart it goes a baobab baobab
When you’re scampering on the Beech
I love to see you Larch-ing around
You are really quite the Peach
You are the Apple of my eye
You are the most Poplar bloke
There is no one Ace-r around
Than my big strong English Oak
---
A letter to gerald ford
Carson Loveless
Dear gerald ford i love you forever and your wife too and there’s a lot of people who die everyday and i’m sad about it and i am going to think about you and visit your presidential library and there’s a lot of presidential libraries too and i will visit all of them too and i going to visit your grave too and i will visit exhibits too and i am going to deliver a speech too to every autism event too and i have autism and im i hope i can meet you when i die and i will be buried not next to you but in seal cove next to my mom and dad and my brother coby too.
---
My Rose Is True
Theresa Gamblin
As the warmth of my rose,
Touches us the truth arose.
While the love grows stronger,
From the petals exposed.
The desire of our love glows,
Through those who try to oppose.
Our love enteral flame,
Becomes strong with each day.
---
My Celtic-Born Dove
Tom Bogner
My Celtic-born dove, eyes beautifully blue;
Born under skies of a celeste azure hue.
Steereth thou my ship, it's control I concede;
My sail, it is worthless! Dearest captain, lead!
Sail us to heaven in an enamored flight
Not caring where destined on this star-filled night.
Auburn from heaven, in your arms is my port;
Pledge to never leave me, my life! My support!
Oh muse of these words, I concede you my heart;
The coup d'etat thrown, Cupid's dart landed smart.
Scuttled and shipwrecked, your swain's lost in despair;
Valentine, I surrender! My heart's laid bare.
---
The Will and the Way
Cassondra Evan
That beard, that face,
the way you taste...
I drink you in and quench my thirst
Those brains, that heart,
the way you art...
I want to be immersed
Your touch, your stare,
the way you care...
I've never felt this safe before
Your arms, that tush
the way you push…
I want to give you more
This love, the feels
the way it heals…
I know it deep inside my bones
Our path, this groove
the way we move…
It's why you feel like home
It's you, it's us
how we discuss…
I love this journey that we're on
The good, the bad,
the sometimes sad…
You make it all more fun
---
Falling in love
Marta Mazurek
Falling in love- what a wonderful thing.
Thinking of you- my daily thing.
Can't stop thinking of you- it's like an addiction.
Wish you was not real but only fiction.
---
Az Moss
Red paper hearts alight the air, Cardboard cupids pierce with care. Candy whispers promises sweet, Echoes of laughter down the street.
But in a gaze, no word is spoken, Love's melody, two souls awoken. A touch, a whisper, soft and deep, In quiet moments, vows we keep.
For love's true bloom no calendar needs, Just hearts entwined, where passion reads. So let the glitter fade away, Love's flame burns bright, each and every day.
---
Valentine's Day 2024
Jarad T. Bushnell
I wake to dim and sleep in dark while Sun
drifts tightly spun in wisp of winterwhite;
when lowest solstice slacks, day's mostly night.
A sudden blast; a draft assails, they run
the warmth from home. Amidst this frigid season,
unbridled frost hard blows. But soft! what light
from darkened hearth comes shining forth with might,
unbounded in its brilliancy to stun?
It'd be my love, my only one, a blaze
to crack the ice whose vital radiance
unfolds to hearten longest night, to raise
up mood like fire looses light. I sense
in her a solstice, longest of the days,
where steadfast blooms stretch vast'n dappled dense.
---
February Resolution
Helen Price
You're everything I've ever wanted, yes and needed too,
I haven't always seen it, though you're forever faithfully true,
I take you, well, for granted, despite my best intention,
I fail-quite badly as it happens-that's what I wanna mention.
Flowers!-so many I couldn't count,
Sunsets!-so romantic, with or without view,
Chocolates!-sometime I'd like to see that cocoa tree,
Open fires!-warmth, but the real warmth comes from you.
I said I wanna mention something-me being bad at
Not taking you for granted, in other words-
Words! maybe I'm bad with those, too,
But, um, the thing I wanna mention, see, is,
I wanna give you your due....
And that amounts to everything, like I said before,
Everything's what you give and then you give some more,
Mother Earth-Treasure! But we treat you bad,
Hoping this dedication will add glad to your sad.
---
Resilience
Celia Harper
I have loved you for many a long year,
trudged through crusted snow to you,
sprinted through the spring shoots,
sat with you in a golden shimmer of summer buttercups,
slid through autumn mud to be with you.
I bring a flower, a feather, a small stone or a song
to your mighty gale-damaged limbs,
your seared scars of torn wounded bark.
Ancestral gateway, liminal space,
your roots my path deep down into the Old Ways,
into atavistic memory’s wisdom store
in the dark fecund earth.
Reciprocal breath restores me,
brings life from the mother of us all.
---
For Richard: a Valentine villanelle
Rose Meade
Your heart is on the Wall for all to see./ So many Covid hearts there
on display./ You're gone but still your heart belongs to me./
This tragedy will never go away./ For every heart a grieving family./
Our hearts are with them on St Valentine's day./
For five and forty years you stayed with me./ Believe me, love, I
treasured every day./ Your heart is on the Wall in memory./
When Covid came and took your breath away,/ I thought that it would be
the death of me./ I think about you every single day./
The love we had is always going to be./ Though you're not here you
haven't gone away./ My heart belongs to you and yours to me./
And it's with you that I shall spend today./ You'll always live inside
my memory./ Your heart is on the Wall for all to see./ You're gone but
still your heart belongs to me.
---
Date Line Lament
Chrissie Robinson-Petrie
No ocean of adoration
No breakfast in bed
No card full of kisses
No roses of red
Zero sign of a Valentine
On this DeLorean of the sea
Kein date despite the Date Line
Where, oh where for art thou, 14th of February?
*If you sail West across the International Date Line on the 13th of February, you time travel into the future, as your clocks jump forward into the 15th of February, completely missing out the most romantic day of the year.
---
Sarah Rayner
In this love-filled plot, my Chris does roam,
'Midst Acer trees, he claims his home.
Leaves a-flutter, like our laughter so sweet,
He's my Valentine, a love that's hard to beat!
His devotion to Acer, unwavering and true,
Reflects the strength of the love we both knew.
Through life's varied seasons, we stand side by side,
In the shade of our love, where joy and love coincide.
Like roses in a breathtaking display,
Our love blooms afresh with each passing day.
Petals as soft as the whispers we share,
You, my eternal love, beyond compare.
So here's to Chris, my tree-loving man,
With roots in our love, forever a fan.
In this garden of life, where memories entwine,
Happy Valentine's Day, Chris, forever mine!
---
Where We Meet
Jen Tombs
As the Earth turns
And time turns
To cross paths is for a
Moment only.
Two Janus faces see each other
And briefly briefly one reflects the other
And the meeting is the centre of an X
Closer than together, and then, as all turns
As the Earth turns
And time turns
The faces face apart. The X widens and
Paths diverge as paths must.
But wait
Don't turn away just yet
Put aside the rhythms of the world
Stay in this place where face reflects face
Stay with me a while
---
The Fruitcake
Mr Uwe Danek
I may be wrong I may be right,
but there’s something keeping me awake.
Just one look, that’s what it took – the world is now bright.
It’s all in the game – it’s all about a cake. I may be wrong I may be right,
but I guess something has happened that opens a romantic gate.
No clue where we’re drifting to – it’s like flying a kite.
The clue might lie on a shelf – a fruitcake that isn’t out of date.
I may be wrong I may be right,
it might be YOU keeping me awake?
You and me, me and you – we’ll be alright.
Might my heart be a mysterious fruitcake, if you want – just take!
---
June Prendergast
I love my cats more than I love you
they give me cuddles, warmth and joy
you give me crabs, the bad kind too
not the ones you eat and enjoy
but the ones you have to treat with napalm
I hate the way you breathe and exist
I want to do you lots of harm
I'll wait till you're half-pissed
Then lure you to where they're building
some homes, and have dug foundations
with holes waiting to be filled in.
I'll persuade you there, 'Congratulations!
You've won a prize,' but it's a lie.
I'll push you in. And you'll die.
Die die die die die die die die!
---
To Me You Are The Sun
Onyx Xo
When I looked at the sun
Its brightness blinded me
When I stood in its light
I felt its warmth
When I observed its colours
Its spectrum dazzled me
When i heard its absence of voice
I felt its calm
But then it spoke
And it sounded like you.
---
Still A Valentine Hopeful
Alan Grant
Been looking for someone to care for, looking for someone to share,
Share part of my life, not quite as a wife, yet more than a friendly au pair.
No need for a woman of substance, though, must have their own teeth and hair,
As well as a good sense of humour, and belief in the sense of the fair,
Cos my search has been long and unfruitful though, there must surely be someone out there
I've been looking for ages, through various stages of excitement, loss and despair.
Tried using those online exchanges, the ones where you write what you like
And hope that computer exchanges find someone, somewhere who's just right.
So met up with a couple of punters, and quite frankly it gave me a fright.
They were more suited to Halloween, than a romantic Valentine's night,
---
Claire Owens
Don’t get me bright red roses.
I really prefer natural posies.
Bring me one pure snowdrop.
Not a bouquet from the shop.
And please never an orchid.
They tend to go putrid.
A dusky pink hellebore
would please me so much more.
I don’t want a lily.
For me they are too frilly.
One perfect waxy tulip
will surely make my heart flip.
And please no carnation
from your local petrol station.
But a bright golden daffodil
my heart with love will fill.
And please avoid a freesia.
The scent makes me wheezier.
But a small blue forget-me-not
is so sure to hit the spot.
Why buy a chrysanthemum?
That is a conundrum,
when a bold purple crocus
to paradise will take us.
And no pom-pom dahlia
in all its regalia.
Just one sprig of heather
And I’ll be yours forever.
---
Love Poem
Joshua Thomas
(Cystennin)
I love the way you curl your hair,
I love the way you smile,
I love the way you look so fair,
And how you dress with style.
I love to see your body sway,
I love to see your eyes,
I love to see you dance away,
Whilst moving lovely thighs.
I love to speak of silly things,
I love to speak of love,
I love to speak of future springs,
And summer suns above.
I love to feel your tender face,
I love to feel your soul,
I love to feel your warm embrace,
You make me feel I'm whole.
I long to hold your lovely hand,
And sit beneath our tree
I'll give your neck a kissing brand
For everyone to see!
And never shall my love depart,
My heart belongs to you,
We'll persevere past love apart,
And prove our love is true!
---
Love Hunt
Andrew Healy
Cupid is searching
For lovers needing arrows-
It’s Valentines Day !
---
Amanda Wynn
I don't know if you notice,
But I plump your pillows at night.
Not always, but just right.
I don't know if you notice,
That I boil the kettle when I know You are awake,
Not always, but just in case.
I don't know if you notice, but I say Your name in my sleep.
Not always, but sometimes,
Because
I love you.
And that IS for always.
---
Theresa Thomas
Beneath a tree where love takes root, Our hearts entwine, a tender shoot. Branches reaching, like fingers laced, In the language of leaves, love's embraced.
Blossoms bloom with hues so rare, A testament to the love we share. Rooted deep, our souls align, A love story written in each design.
Seasons change, yet steadfast we stand, Hand in hand, as time's gentle hand. Through storms we weather, and sunshine's kiss, Our love, a tree, evergreen in bliss.
In the shade of our love, whispers soft and true, The tree, a witness, to me and to you. With every heartbeat, a leaf takes flight, Our love, a tree, growing strong, infinite.
---
John Davies
In the realm of hearts, where love takes flight, Where stars align on this special night, A symphony of whispers in the air, Our souls entwined, beyond compare.
In your eyes, I find my guiding light, A beacon of hope through the darkest night. Your laughter, a melody, sweet and clear, Bringing warmth and joy, year after year.
With every beat, our hearts dance as one, Underneath the moon and the setting sun. In your embrace, I've found my home, Where love resides, and fears are gone.
So here's to us, my dear valentine, Forever entwined, our souls combine. In this journey of love, hand in hand we'll roam, Together forever, in this endless poem.
---
Bewl Water
Anthony Scott
I'm forever blowing bubbles
bubbles out of my nose
You see I've been drowned
I strayed from my ground
How did I get here? How do you suppose?
My lover pushed me in the water
My love, I thought I could trust
but he like a thief
his love hot but brief
stole my heart, my life, it's so unjust
This lake is wide and deepens
it deepened like a coastal shelf
I'll never be found
Nor seen on the ground
No rest, no grave, no sense, no self
Could it have been a mishap
misfortune, an accident
If that was the case
why am I so erased
why would my love put stones in my pockets?
---
Hazel Jamieson
My love for you is evergreen and will never wax and wane,
I'll be your sturdy rooted oak tree through the wind and driving rain.
Storms will come and go my dear and they will always pass, just know that I am here for you - your everloving lass
My love for you is like the moon and will always brightly shine.
I'll be your budding rose bush and our branches intertwine
We journey through life together my love and will never be apart
When our bodies tire, and we grow old I will carry you in my heart ♥️
---
valentine’s day: a brief explanation (for my alien friend)
Ej Hyndman
it’s bouquets of colours that don’t
match nauseating in the
supermarket
it’s everything i do i do it for you
it’s coffee cremes capitalising off
the madness
it’s the slump after mistletoe it’s
not yet spring
it’s bears with hearts on their
butts
it’s pink cards gag gifts it’s money
down the drain
it’s sweet sometimes
sometimes it’s sweet
it’s any excuse to show love
---
Warts and All
Amanda Pidduck
We met in the 80's with matching hair,
Mine now grey and yours not there,
My shapely backside has moved round to my tummy,
But I know you still find me very yummy.
Our soppy words we made into a rhyme,
Were the cringiest, but just yours and mine,
"Kissy Kissy, Luvvy Luvvy, Dubby Dubby",
Remember it well, my dearest Hubby.
With my C-PAP Machine, to stop my snores,
You're asleep with Darth Vadar from Star Wars.
But in life and in marriage, we're still having a ball,
Because we love one another, 'Warts and All'.
---
Jane T
Your my best friend at heart
With the kindest smile at heart
Your my bud to heart
That's why you're so special at heart.
Happy valentine
Miss Jane Taylor
---
Just A Word
Spatika Sm
But to me love was nothing but a word
darling I cannot help it
I am but a poet
I build stories out of words
so you’ll dream about romance and promises in the setting sun and roses that stay alive forever
stories that’ll make you believe
even if I never will
I think I almost found it
everything I was writing about
in those honey brown eyes of yours
making me wish I could stay for once
making me want to believe my words had been more than just words
but I am just a poet
tragedy runs in my blood
So tell me that you love me
though we both know its a lie
because its cold and I can’t help but shiver
and you pull me closer and I don’t seem to mind
so though your lips taste like strawberries and sugarcoated lies
tell me that you love me
and I might believe you.
---
Valentine's Day
Marguerite O.Teare
Roses are red
Violets are blue
I wonder if anybody thinks of me
The way I do you
Every day I fall a little more
Into love?
Into sadness?
I'm not sure
Valentines day's are happy
But happy for who?
Me who's always been alone
Or a person who's loved
You?
---
Hannah Preece
In love's leafy garden, our hearts interlace and intertwine,
Valentine whispers through branches - green and divine.
Like saplings, our love did start once so small,
Now it stands tall, unyielding, enraptured by all.
Roots are deep, binding through every weather,
Branches reach through all seasons, for a celestial tether.
In the forest of time, our story, it weaves,
A love enduring, like red, brown, orange autumn leaves.
On this day, where love sure takes the lead,
We're like trees, rooted, our spirits growing and freed.
Through the years, as our love continues, expands,
Like trees, forever, grown hand in hand.
---
Rachie H
Ode to my love at 'number seven',
You, my sweet, are the definition of heaven.
A specimen of quality,
The epitome of raw sex,
Yet surely still do you me perplex!
An exterior that's as hard as nails,
Masculinity that never fails,
Yet deep within, I surely know,
A warm loving heart throbs aglow.
Your magnetic, ever-present rapport,
Doth surely make my blood pressure soar.
Oh to be in your loving arms,
And succumb to your all-embracing charms….
But alas, dear heart, this rhyme is at an end,
So let me for a moment pause,
To assure you that I will forever be,
Your 'number one' despite menopause!
---
You Are Tree-mendous
Julie Shackman
You Are Tree-mendous,
You're stately,
Wise and magical,
Frilly to the touch,
That is why we're spellbound,
And love you very much.
Glossy leaves of bottle green,
A trunk that's gnarled and worn,
You've stood there,
Tall and grand and proud,
Since the day that I was born.
The weight of joyous children,
Squealing on your swing,
Sunshine through your branches,
Where birds chirrup, hop and sing.
You protect us with your canopy,
On warm and dappled days,
Always there no matter what,
In rain or foggy haze.
So please accept our grateful thanks,
As far as we can see,
You are by far the greatest,
And most glorious garden tree.
The End
---
My Hubby Nick 💙
Katie Hughes
Nick, my love, our lives a whirl,
Married 17 years, a crazy twirl.
Three kids and a dog, our joyful mess,
Navigating chaos, we pass every test.
You, a lorry driver, night after night,
Me, a probation officer, days so bright.
Our schedules clash, like ships in the night,
But our love remains, burning bright.
While you haul loads across the land,
I keep the peace with a firm hand.
Our paths may rarely intersect,
But our love, my dear, we never neglect.
Through honking horns and courtrooms bold,
Our love story, a tale to be told.
Nick, my partner, in life's grand race,
With you, I'll always find my place.
---
See You On Friday
Alice Clarke
Hey I'm looking forward to dinner,
I'll see you this Friday,
My patience is growing thinner,
But I'll see you again on Friday,
Would you like homemade pizza?
I'll arrive at eight thirty on Friday,
Don't you dare watch even the teaser,
We can see it together on Friday,
Did you remember to empty the freezer,
I'll be back to help on Friday,
I found a hotel that is cheaper,
For our weekend away this Friday
I don't think I could feel any deeper,
I just sit and wait for Friday,
I'm so sorry to sound like a weeper,
I want you now instead of Friday
Perhaps we could look but not pressure,
For a house or flat this Friday,
I know that we will live together,
I want you Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday AND Friday.
---
Jimi Ricketts
Like red roses and blue violets, you're so special/
As strong as the stem, yet as soft as the petals/
From a mustard seed of faith, look how you're growing/
And even when there's no sunlight you're still glowing/
I wish I could deliver these flowers face to face/
But despite the distance, I'm loving our space/
With Christ at the centre, I pray we can make His will come true/
And with Christ as the Foundation, I hope I can build with you/
We don't know what the future holds but, presently I want to hold you/
I have visions of love that I want to show you/
Let tomorrow worry about its own things; let's enjoy today/
I want to spoil you rotten in a joyful way/
I'll show you a fantastic time/
Marley, will you be my Valentine?
---
Rachel Holland
You and I,
It’s plain to see, have an unspoken bond
Teamwork makes the dream work and neither of us is wrong.
You are the light to my life and without you my world is dark
I long to hear the front door open, as I can’t bare when we’re apart.
We’ve built a home, built a life, grown a family too
You work so hard to provide for us, just know I love you too
You truly are my barnacle I cling to everyday
And will continue to do so, until we’re old and grey.
---
Charm Ransom
If I were a planet, you would be my shining star
When you're away, I ask, how far?
Tell me anything; I would never judge.
You fill my heart with all its love.
"Forever and together" is what I envisioned,
And I know we were both firm in that decision.
From the world and back, I would do anything for you.
So why did you have to leave me so soon?
Your sweet voice becomes echoing tunes;
But your memory will always remain
Under the stars we once swooned.
---
From sad to glad
Bethany McCullie
the single young lady is all alone
just sitting on the couch watching TV at home
she mopes for a while, scrolling all the soppy 'posts'
while pondering who she loves the most
with just a moments thought, she calls her friend
'what's going on tonight for Valentine's' she said?
a short while later, there's a knock on the door
there was her friend, with wine and snacks galore
'can I come in, I've brought some treats?'
'of course!' she says, and is now upbeat
they laugh, they eat and giggle over wine
and the young lady thinks - 'nothing beats a galantine'
---
Love is the best course
Louise Stuart
I was feeling quite low about my body
With age it had started to sag
The passion had gone from our marriage
It was my fault I felt like a hag
One day I came home feeling weary
Long days at work had me beat
When I opened the door a surprise was instore
There were rose petals down at my feet
Following them through to the kitchen
A beautiful table was set
The aroma of food was amazing
Hubby shouted 'hang on I'm not ready yet'
He appeared in nothing but an apron
Which read 'lucky you I'm the first course'
Then he took my hand and led me to the stairs
But I stopped with a slight awkward pause
He said, 'darling you are more beautiful than ever'
My inhibitions melted away
He made me feel so desirable
I love him more everyday!
---
A love letter to my partner and unborn daughter
Paige Cowan
I love you because you grew our family tree
A little seed in my belly making us three
Isn't in crazy when she's born in august
They'll be a tree born too somewhere in a forest
And you'll both grow together for many of years
And you won't even know that both of you are near
Because that's the funny thing about nature
We ignore it but you go through life and death together
So to the little seed in my belly right now
I hope you stand tall and let your branches sprout
So many opportunities on this earth will show
But don't ignore the things around you that grow
For one day you'll both be the same again
And on that day they'll say a prayer amen
To the little seed in my belly, my love does not measure
Mummy and Daddy will be your valentine forever
---
After Bath
Anna Banasiak
I want to touch you
dry with my body
hide
in your arms
and last
so long
until I sculpt you
in my dream
entire
---
Tanya
If my husbands surname was Jacobs he would be a real cracker,
I sure love him so it doesn't matter,
Maybe a campfire cause he's hot and I want smore,
I can't wait for him to come through the door,
I'm glad you like Star Wars as yoda only one for me,
I love it because we are so funny.
If I could change the alphabet I would put U & I together,
We are so lucky forever and ever.
Are you a bank loan as you got my interest,
You simply are the best.
Is your name Google as your everything I'm searching for,
I love you more & more.
Don't like raisins, how about a date,
Please be early don't be late.
---
Anna Powell
Amongst all of the poems the judges are shown
I'm sure there'll be many that make them all groan
But I'm hoping that none are as cheesy as mine
As I honour the spirit of St Valentine
By declaring my love for my husband and boys
The roots of my love tree, the leaves of my joy.
And I'd like to win points as I chose to eschew
The line "roses are red and violets are blue!"
---
Mandy Mitchell
Roses are red, blue and white,
If I won a tree I’d plant it tonight.
To remember our nana,
To be a good mamma,
For our 4 year old is struggling since the funeral day.
We love you and miss you everyday.
---
Tracy Waller
Roses are red
Cocktails are too
Im now in bed
Cos I had more than a few!
The end!
---
Zoe Corbin
The first time I laid eyes on you
I knew you loved me too
Your piercing brown eyes
That sent me to the bluest skies
I knew this was meant to be
Your everlasting love for me
I will love you till the day i die
A life without you wants to make me cry
Deep tears of pain, as it's you that makes me want to dance in the rain.
Again we meet to continue our long distance relationship with tons of love, which is as pure as the whitest dove
Lawrence i cherish every moment as it's our last, you've made me want to forget my painful past.
We'll always be together and love you forever.
Yours truly
Zoe corbin
---
Valentines
Rene Clements
I have no gift wrapped in pretty paper
I have no ribbons or bow
I've got a beating heart like thunder if you'd
Just give me a chance listening to a rain storm
In darkness I could lite your candles we could
Circle the sun
I can give you something a lifetime of dedication
Your name among stars
Drop of a tear I'd run to console
I'll be there to protect you when your world turns upside down
I promise given on valentines
I can't afford a skyscraper I have no string of pearls
I don't own a gold mine I have no treasure to lay
Upon a pedestal at your feet I can offer you a highway
Of open dreams at times right words may slip my mind
Tell you one thing I'll love you from forever on this
Valentines
I'd pick up my old guitar to write you a love song
That no one's ever heard before I'll kneel before you
If you'd just take my hand I'll never leave your side
Words I'll hold so dear within my hands I'll be your forever
I'll guide you in heavy waves when you can no longer see
Two hearts entwined we could make titanic rise again
This story line shall never be closed please let
Me kiss you ever so softly raise your glass of wine
For this love will never die I promise on this valentines
---
Valentine, 15th February
Judith Green
… maybe the florist got delayed
and he's sent me flowers, a little card
with what he told them on the phone:
With love from
You Know Who….
xx
Red roses? - but he knows I'm not the clichéd type
who falls for roses, too commercial;
he'll send gypsophila with daisies
without that dreadful cellophane, so un-eco:
he knows about such things.
… maybe the only stamp he had was second class …
The postman's coming down the path,
I heard the gate swing back
(it's needed oiling but I thought I'd leave it, just to let me know …).
The letter box drops adverts on the mat
and underneath, the corner of an envelope ...
an oblong brown one ...
how unusual ...
but he's like that.
---
My Valentine Girls
Wendy Davis
Was it divine intervention -
That I fell for you without intention
Your natural beauty really caught my eye,
With those curls of gold, my oh my
You seemed quite exotic with your Mediterranean look,
And quite delicious in my book
You blossomed into a beautiful sight,
Covered in a gown of perfumed white.
Your prickly exterior made me think twice,
but a second look and I thought how nice.
Your beauty doesn't last long, some may think,
But I know different standing on that carpet of pink
With leaves, blossoms, nuts and a berry
Hazel, Willow, Olive,
May, Holly and Cherry
Are my girls for Valentines
I love them in my garden, especially when the sun shines
---
Yogi
Cheryl Campbell
I love you,
But sometimes wonder why.
Although without you, I will surely cry.
So, tell me again that you Love me too,
Because Yogi, you’re my
Dream come true!
---
Fifteen
Jo Taylor
1 is skinny
5 is curvaceous
1 is shy
5 is flirtatious
1 comes first
5 comes nowhere
1 is selfish
5 likes to share
1 is tranquil
5 is loud
1 is introvert
5 likes a crowd
1 likes to eat it to them self
5 prefers a sharing platter
1 likes to sit and read a book
5 likes to have a natter
1 likes sudoku
5 likes twister
1 is a miss
5 is a mister
Although at odds
When they first met
The stars aligned
The Angels wept
5 said ‘Will You?’
‘I Will!’ 1 said
And so they ran away
To Wed.
So now it’s
Mr & Mrs Fifteen
The most compatible couple
You’ve ever seen.
Their lives are filled
With love & laughter
And they lived...
Happily Ever After
---
Valentine
Harsha Singh
Being you as a valentine is wish come true
And feels mesmerizing out of the blue
Silky touch of your fingers on my cheeks
Valvet lip of yours when touches mine
Whole body shivers like I have druk nine shots of wine
Your gazing in my eyes,losted in the ocean which is away thousand miles
You calling me baby,and proposing with a melodious voice
I rejoice,This whole valentine week I imagined although you are not mine...
---
Alison Shearing
How lovely is my Lemon Tree
It smells so fresh and pure
And since the day we bought it
I’ve loved you more and more.
How graceful is my Rose Bush
With beauty strong and true
And ever since the day we met
I’ve sworn my love for you.
How pretty is my Bay Tree
With leaves so green and fair
It really is the perfect gift
And shows how much you care.
I’m nuts about you darling -
The one that I adore.
To show how much I love you
Here’s a gift from
Tree To My door!
---
Amandine Street
Beneath the old oak's boughs, a love-worn embrace,
Where time and passion etch tales on its face.
Carved initials in the bark, a love symphony,
Whispers of lovers, an intimate tapestry.
Hearts intertwined, names forever engraved,
Each groove a vow, as the old tree cradled and saved.
From youthful carvings to weathered lines,
Love's journey recorded in nature's designs.
Moonlit secrets and whispered confessions,
A trunk adorned with love's eternal impressions.
Through seasons, their stories linger and weave,
An ancient witness, where love will never leave.
---
Mariss Ijaz
that man could yearn for me like the moon yearns for the sun it will never meet
and miss me like the ocean's tide misses the faraway shore
and study every vein and particle in my emotion filled body like a scientist
and admire my feminine soul like an artist admires their finished product
and even then
his heart won't carry half of what mine does.
-the love of a borderline personality
---
Annika Burgess
What are roses but a bloom
When there so many others in the room,
It's not the flowers that bring joy
But every hour that you annoy
But what is that but a lie
When it is both of us that sigh
It's not in the things that society gifts
It is in the day to day daily grifts
In getting the kids ready
Catching each others eye
Sending an encouraging word
And giving the day another try
---
This is not a love poem
Claire Hampson
If I hunt time to its elastic limits,
would it be like this? That first kiss?
Tell my love,
Shadows of clouds have spilled across fields
chasing swallows in flight
and a star-brushed night.
---
Brian Shearing
Fruit is the love of my life
It is almost as good as my wife
Her name is Alison
And she's even better than damson
No sign here of any strife
My favourite fruit is a peach
And it is well within my reach
I love one a day
Even in May
But best of all on the beach
Sometimes I like a pear
Regardless of what I wear
Trousers or shorts
Depends on the sports
Nothing gives me fear
Another favourite is a fig
It forms part of my rig
But only once a week
Does it pass through my beak
And makes me think of the Stig
My best fruit of all
From the loft to the hall
Is the aforementioned damson
It reminds me of Alison
She is my only valentine
---
Tracey Lockley
Beneath Kos' sunlit Grecian spell,
Love blossomed, a tale to tell.
By turquoise waves, our hearts took flight,
A holiday romance, pure delight.
---
Daz Jacobs
If you were high up in the moon
or somewhere twice as far
I’d build myself a rocket ship
to get to where you are.
If you were on the ocean floor
or somewhere just as deep
I’d build myself a submarine
Just to see you sleep
---
Jess Maguire
Timothy Dutch
I love you so much
You moved from the Lowlands
To live here on Margate sands
We travel together
Like birds of a feather
But I garden alone
With a grassy cologne
You want to plant tulips
Grow mint and drink juleps
Keep chickens in a coop
And scoop up their poop
But you are too lazy
Lounge around, lackadaisy
So I cultivate radish
Spicy, round and fattish
Garden cooking so delicious
It could never be fictitious
Tasty vegetarian food
To get you in the mood
But I'll never convert you
With Grannys home grown bean stew
So we'll eat separate diets
And keep it on the quiet
But for Valentines day
Love filled, bright and gay
We will eat the same
We'll make it a game
No meat, veggie instead
And for fun, late to bed
---
Ruth Davies
Beneath trees' embrace, love takes its chance,
leaves whisper secrets in a subtle dance.
Roots entwined, like a timeless rhyme,
nature's valentine, enduring through time.
---
My valentine
Sarah Oliver
On this very special day,
All I really want to say.
Your the only one for me,
That's how it will always be!
You have a place deep inside my heart,
And that's how it was, right from the start.
My love for you is always true,
And that is why I send this to you.
---
Rachel Baylis
If I were a tree and you were a tree, Branches reaching out, you and me. Roots tangled tight, beneath the ground, Our love's the best, hands down!
---
Nordane
I love you for a lifetime,
Not only for a day.
I love you for who you are,
Not what you do or say.
I love the way you love me back,
So there is only one thing I can say.
I love you with my heart and soul and every other way,
So will you be my valentine not only for one day?
Happy Valentines Day!
---
Literal Valentine
Rachel Ward
I must write a poem for my valentine,
Lest he might fear he’s no longer mine,
But alas I’m distracted by one simple matter,
The cliche lacks truth, though correct in its grammar.
Roses are not red and not “rose” in their colour,
“It’s a vulgar to repeat words, you see, you must use another”
Well, that’s a notion I reject and find most ridiculous,
So allow me my own rendition with accurate deliciousness;
Roses are rose,
Violets are violet,
Their existence auto-logical,
To say it is so, is not paradoxical.
---
Mrs E. Oliver
Beneath the willow's gentle sway,
We'll share our love this Valentine's Day.
Like branches reaching for the sun,
Our hearts entwined, forever one.
Oh, dear Valentine, you're my tree-mendous love,
With you, I feel as snug as a glove.
Let's grow together like oaks so tall,
Our love story, the greatest of all!
---
Matt King
The tempting allure of my chosen valentine.
What would it take for you to be mine?
Not that ownership of you is implied;
I simply want to stand by your side.
A joint venture of standing - I'm not your guard.
Why is this suddenly seeming so hard?
It would be nice to be holding your hand.
And you holding mine; I hope you understand.
It would have to be a mutual hand holding,
And not some sort of proprietary thing.
I love the way that you're wild and free.
I'd never tether your being to me.
Like caging a butterfly or catching a parrot,
Cajoling a donkey with an inadequate carrot.
I'm lost for words; I'm clearly no bard.
This is a lot to have written inside of a card.
I'm sorry to have bothered you. What more can I say?
I hope that you have an adequate Valentine's Day.
---
Oonagh McGrath
Roses are red, chocolates are sweet, Valentine's hype, an annual feat. Cupid's arrows may miss their beat, In love's game, I've got two left feet.
Cards with messages, cheesy and grand, Heart-shaped trinkets, love takes command. Flowers and dinners, wallets withstand, Single or taken, let's make love's stand.
February 14, a date to cheer, Or Netflix and chill, with a cold beer. Candlelit dinners, oh, so sincere, Or solo adventures, without a peer.
Whether partnered up or riding solo, Love yourself, it's the way to go. Valentine's chuckles, let them flow, Heart-shaped laughter, steals the show
---
My love this is what love is
Dr David Stokes
When I wake in the morning,
It is your touch that I seek,
Sleepy I pull myself close to you,
Hands to hold, face to kiss.
These moments in the first dawn,
So simple and sweet,
Knowing that you are beside me,
My love this is what love is.
And our morning it is chaos,
Two kids to dress, and prepare,
Facing family mayhem together,
With my best friend it is bliss,
Stolen touches and brushed hands,
Living my life with you,
Knowing that you are beside me,
My love this is what love is.
And together again in the evening,
Sharing tales of the day,
We cook and laugh together,
A bonding of hearts this.
I will be with you now and forever,
My partner, my soulmate, my friend,
Knowing that you are beside me,
My love this is what love is.
My love, you are what love is.
---
Rejection
Richard Parry
‘bout Valentine some people fuss,
I myself don’t give a cuss.
Not being stung by cupid’s arrow
Never gives me cause for sorrow.
Then one sunny afternoon
I just had to change my tune.
As I was walking down the street
I saw a girl I longed to greet.
Fortified with pints of wine
Asked “will you be my Valentine?”
As she stood, her hair she tossed
Said “ Drunken fool. Just get lost.”
---
Carol Fisk
A cup of tea, for me
Lie in bed, we'll see
A blanket on my knee
A swim in the sea
This is the love I long to be
Not flashy or shiny just in the right key
This is all j need to complete me.
---
Themnunuuem Chongloi
Hey babe,
I've been pondering over and over about the uncertain future.
Despite the odds against us, I pray that we live to see the day we-
Recite our vows,
Build our little space ;
The rooftop with the chamomiles ,
The backyard full of peas and bees,
The promised dates and dances...
When will we-
Count the stars? Sip our tea?
Read books by the fire?
Watch our little girl run about the lanes?
All this-together side by side
In each other's arms
Till,,,,,claims the cairns
"the longings was worth it"
As remembrance of this very day
Thereafter I ask "Will you be my Valentine♡? ."
---
A potted history
Nathalie Ahmed
It began in the Steel City,
Our eyes met across a crowded office room.
Love at first sight, but that's the quickest things moved,
It was two years before things resumed.
We attended a 70s fancy dress party.
He was drunk and tried to carry me back.
Except his platform heels were too high,
And he dropped me onto the tram track.
Once during after-work drinks,
His phone battery died before nine.
He ran all the way home in his suit,
Just so I wasn't sat worried (I was fine).
He takes pride in his appearance,
Spent more on highlights than me.
He sometimes took it too far,
Caught him ironing pants secretly.
That's my poem all done.
I have nothing ground-breaking to say.
Other than he's my perfect match,
And it's cool we hang out every day.
---
First Love
Kerri Simpson
Her lips are still damp
as the dust begins to settle
on her childhood.
Her heart now drums
to the beat of a love
song on a loop.
There will always
be a bookmark
on this page.
Her eyes are still closed
like those of the dolls
she rocked to sleep.
Her breath sighs
a name she once
wrote on a book.
There will always
be a teddy bear
to catch the tears.
---
WEDDING GREETINGS FROM A SOPPY YORKSHIREMAN!
Peter Redmond
I hear you're doing special things
With wedding rings and dinga-ding-dings.
I hope the weather's warm and good,
Nice things to eat and lots of pud.
Will you have a wedding cake?
Perhaps you'll just a sandwich make.
Musicians play a joyful song
The bells ring out, a donga-dong dong.
This wedding poem I really must finish…
May your happiness never diminish!
They'll be glad when you left for your honeymoon hotel
Then the bloke down the road can stop ringing that bell!
---
A Mime at Closing-Time
Noel Sweeney
Love to see you 'fore I go love
It might be our last time
Love to see you 'fore I go love
A bellwether chime rings our rhyme
Caught in the act of love's cute crime
By my hand in your glove
You and I know this is our time
I'd really love to see you 'fore I go love
Loved your touch so much for so long
Yet in many ways I find
The potency of our saddened song
Echoes in time in my muddled mind
With you I am no longer blind
Seeing you nose deep in Chekhov
A concealed ruth of our truth
Love to see you 'fore I go love
---
Deborah Mcgreavey
38 years together
38 valentines days
My love grows stronger day by day
I will always love you and always be there
For all our adventures for us to share
I love you because you are simply you ❤️
---
Ri V
Our love is sweet
Just like you
U are my honey
For u I make money
I want to give you flower
But I can't get u this year
My love is more but
You are become so bored
With those flowers I want
To give you more
This year
I want spend my days with with u more
U are my honey my love my live
I want to give you more and
More in this life
U are beautiful like angel from Haven
I wish I could give u more
U are my honey my love my live
I want to give you more
---
Lovejoy
Alison Shearing
It bade my anxious stirrings cease
And brought my tensions sweet release.
It dried my tears,
Resolved my fears
And gave me lasting peace.
Three cheers for Love
That turtle dove
Hip hip hooray, my dears!
---
Judi Dodds
My love for you
Like a tree
Grows year on year
Its strength waxes and wanes with the seasons
But each spring
New hope buds
And each summer
It's verdant and bountiful
Autumn brings warmth
And in winter a depth
Another ring in the trunk of our bond
---
A Rose for Every Year
Sarah Davis (collaboration w/ The Poetry Club of OSJCT Monkscroft Care Centre in Cheltenham)
He gave a rose for every year,
A red red rose with sweet perfume
And said I was his love so dear.
My ideal Husband, the perfect groom!
I sent a card, signed it Guess who?
He knew it was from me so true;
I did not send a rose -
Besides, he prefers cake, you know!
The second year, red roses two
The third he gave me three
On year four he was looking pensive,
When asked, said, You've become expensive!
I love you still and always will,
In coming years to save arrears
for Valentine's sake
can we just share cake?
---
Our Uncommon Tree
Josephine Standbrook
Planted in haste with amateur hands,
Took root wrongly, grew all skew-whiff,
We tried in vain to tame its wayward form,
Passers-by think it carnivorous.
Its bounty’s often fruity and totally nuts,
Mostly sweet with the odd bitter-sour.
It bears fat, hard jewels that we can forage:
Preserve; string up; then hit each other with.
We’ve sat out many storms under its canopy,
To us it’s beautiful even when diseased.
If the council ever turn up, threatening chainsaws,
They’d better bring a big one ‘cause it’s tougher than it looks.
---
Perfume Diary
Luckner Pierre
spraying the muscular perfume
on his biceps and triceps
validates her womanhood
seven nights of perfume
fills the room
with diaries of a lovely perfume
the scent of perfume
embellishes every night
like midnight in London
united in mind
the power of perfume
connects the two in red wine
silky as perfume
is a perfect vision
for the power of love
spraying the perfume
on his biceps and triceps
is the study of perfume
the breath of perfume
inhales and exhales
in the room that is her perfume
---
Deborah Pettit
I would pick you
all over again...
but not like a nose
more like a Rose
I would hold you
all over again...
but not like a fart
I mean in my Heart
I would hit like
all over again...
but not a blue thumb
I mean like your Bum
I would squeeze you
all over again
but not like a spot...
cos you're my Sexpot!
---
Osita Ijeoma
The trees, the birds and seas
All the beauty would cease
Lacking beautiful words to describe it.
The illusion of Nature in motion
The vivid picture of many emotions
Long for words to describe it.
But our love, my dear
Our sweet dreamy affair
Words long to explain
And people can’t understand again
Forever and a day
We fell in May
Made our vows in August
Till death separates us
Ten years ago, we stood strong
Building on what they called lust
A decade now, we’ve proven them wrong
It wasn’t lust or Cupid, it was us
Under this tree, my dear, sit
What’s meant to be stays lit
See, the moon shines bright tonight
And the weather is just right
Let nature and peace engulfs us
And our love shall bloom thus
Close your eyes, don’t fear to sleep
Our dreams are alive like kisses on the lip
---
Timeless tree
Ann-Marie McNicholas
In the garden of life, our paths align
My Valentine, our two souls entwine,
As roots of curiosity begin to take hold
Our story begins, as yet untold.
Blossoms of affection, like petals land
When for the very first time, you take my hand.
Like trees that sway in the gentle breeze
We dance together with effortless ease.
Beneath the leaves, a whispered vow
That each fragile twig becomes a mighty bough,
Then in the shade of our love, forever we'll be
A Valentine's promise, a timeless tree.
---
Victoria Prince
There's someone that I love so much, although he has his flaws -
He commandeers most of the bed and never shuts the doors.
His eating habits, I must say, leave something to be desired,
But the voracity of his appetite can only be admired!
His hair is thick and silky, and his eyes a melting brown,
He is very good at listening and lifts me when I'm down.
It's been more than a decade since he came into my life,
And all these years we've lived together without trouble or strife.
I wouldn't swap him for the world; he makes my life complete,
Of course I mean my dog Elton - who makes my heart skip a beat.
---
Sylvian Affection
Chris Roberts
Amidst the trees, love's symphony plays,
Valentine's whispers in Sun-dappled rays,
Hearts entwined, like the branches above,
In the forest of affection, our testament to love.
---
“A Letter To Nora”
Lauren D'Empaire
On a blueberry farm atop the coast
I live out our suggested dream
And the possibility you imagined now plays host
To the reality upon which I believed you to be keen
How I wish I knew how my heart would be sutured after you had to disappear
Love, so foreign to me I couldn't recognize it in the moment
I simply assumed that you would always be near
Content in your company, bathed in violet hues,
With an unobstructed realization so blatantly clear:
It could not have made more sense for me to belong to you.
But ask you to stay would be selfish and vain
I knew it in the kiss you gave me, bittersweet and long
Too late it was, to explain how your absence would bring the rain
And when the sun would rise, you had to be gone.
---
William Castleman
In a world full of roses and hearts,
Where love's symphony gently imparts,
I send forth a Valentine wish,
A whisper of hope, a gentle swish.
May love's sweet fragrance fill the air,
Caress the broken, heal the despair.
May lonely souls find solace in light,
Embrace the darkness, make it bright.
May love's embrace be warm and true,
A beacon of hope for me and you.
May hearts that ache find tender grace,
A gentle touch, a warm embrace.
May love's sweet melody fill our ears,
Banishing doubts, erasing fears.
May passion ignite like a burning flame,
And unity be our eternal aim.
May love's tender petals never fade,
In sunlit meadows, where dreams are made.
May love's enchantment forever stay,
And guide us through life, day by day.
So, let this Valentine wish take flight,
Across the universe, shining so bright.
May love's essence forever persist,
In every heart, a timeless bliss.
---
The Orchard
Jenny Horton
Come lie with me, my love,
Under the apple tree,
There in the sweet summer grass,
We will watch the sun dappled leaves
Dance in the gentle breeze,
While the song- birds sing
And tell the world of our love.
---
Forest and Flowers
Rachel Rimmer
I shall give this rose as a symbol of my love
If there was a forest, I'd be walking along thinking of you
You are my destiny, my heart's desire
All the flowers in the forest are ever so beautiful
No wonder I keep thinking of you
You are the same amount of beauty
As the flowers dazzling amongst the trees
I'm just so happy to have you in my life
You will always be in my heart
My love for you will always be around
You will always be a part of me
And I will always be glad to have met you.
Accept this rose with love.
---
Elaine Rimmer
I want to enter the Valentine's competition,
But I can't write poetry at all.
The way I express my love for my love,
Is to get her a gift from Tree2mydoor.
I take my time choosing,
I don't do it fast.
This plant represents my devotion.
I want it to last!
I want a stem that is solid.
I want leaves that grow and shine.
I want the flowers to bloom,
Like the love that's hers and mine.
So, no, I can't write poems,
That's plain for all to see.
I'll let my gift do the talking,
And express love perfectly.
---
LOVE
Lisa Brown
Love is seeing a newborn baby smile for the first time
Or an elderly couple holding hands walking up the street
Valentine's day is for everyone now
Even your dog or cat oh wow !
---
Rachel Burdett
When we inherited our garden,
it was wild and overgrown
in that magic way that gardens are
when they’ve been left alone.
We ventured in with secateurs,
with spades and muddy boots,
to investigate our treasure trove
of roots and fruits and shoots.
We found hellebores and hedgehogs,
fritillaries and frogs.
There were butterflies on buddleias
and beetles under logs.
Then we started dreaming,
of how to make it ‘ours’.
We nurtured seeds, created beds,
and filled them up with flowers.
We planted veggies, watched them grow.
and on the the apple trees,
we hung up feeders for the birds,
invited all the bees.
Sometimes we got discouraged
by the heat or frost or rain,
by the times we simply got it wrong
and had to start again.
But we persevered, side by side,
the two of us together.
I love this garden that we’ve grown
and I’ll love you, forever.
---
Valentine
Sumita D
I just wonder how unknowingly
You have become
A part of my existence,
Entwining my joy and sadness,
My hope and despair,
In-between each heart beat,
Exhale and inhale,
Interlacing my consciousness
And subconsciousness
And emerging as my strength
As well as my weakness.
Like the warmth of the sunshine
On a wintry day,
Like a snug by the fireplace at night, Like an umbrella in the rain,
Like the splash of raindrops
After a scorching sun,
Like an oasis in the desert
You restore my soul.
How I wish,
After Twenty Years be retold.
Happly Valentine's Day Stupid!