Roses are red.
Violet's are blue.
This poem trope's old.
Let's try something new.
Valentine’s Day. A holiday known for being either charming or corny, depending on who you ask.
It’s also a time when most of us unleash our amateur inner-poets in the hopes of winning over someone special. However, Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romantic love. A day about love should celebrate family, friends and the love you show yourself.
To celebrate these special people, I curated a small collection of poems that highlight the impact loved ones have on our lives.
I loved you before I was born.
It doesn't make sense, I know.I saw your eyes before I had eyes to see.
And I've lived longing
for your ever look ever since.
That longing entered time as this body.
And the longing grew as this body waxed.
And the longing grows as the body wanes.
The longing will outlive this body.I loved you before I was born.
It doesn't make sense, I know.Long before eternity, I caught a glimpse
of your neck and shoulders, your ankles and toes.
And I've been lonely for you from that instant.
That loneliness appeared on earth as this body.
And my share of time has been nothing
but your name outrunning my ever saying it clearly.
Your face fleeing my ever
kissing it firmly once on the mouth.In longing, I am most myself, rapt,
my lamp mortal, my light
hidden and singing.I give you my blank heart.
Please write on it
what you wish.
when did we become friends?
it happened so gradual i didn’t notice
maybe i had to get my run out first
take a big bite of the honky world and choke on it
maybe that’s what has to happen with some uppity youngsters
if it happens at all
and now
the thought stark and irrevocable
of being here without you
shakes me
beyond love, fear, regret or anger
into that realm children go
who want to care for/protect their parents
as if they could
and sometimes the lucky ones do
into the realm of making every moment
important
laughing as though laughter wards off death
each word given
received like spanish eight
treasure to bury within
against that shadow day
when it will be the only coin i possess
with which to buy peace of mind
Love is like the wild rose-briar,
Friendship like the holly-tree —
The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms
But which will bloom most constantly?
The wild rose-briar is sweet in spring,
Its summer blossoms scent the air;
Yet wait till winter comes again
And who will call the wild-briar fair?
Then scorn the silly rose-wreath now
And deck thee with the holly’s sheen,
That when December blights thy brow
He still may leave thy garland green.
The self
Last but not least, I want to honour the most important relationship of them all. The relationship you have with yourself sets the precedent for all your relationships. You may have heard this saying before, but you cannot pour from an empty cup. The poem below was written by UWaterloo alumna Rupi Kaur. The artist is known for her short, contemporary poems that are often coupled with delicate and graceful illustrations. In this beautiful and concise piece, Kaur expresses the importance of having faith in yourself.
