The Gauntlet
of Love
Valentine'
Day, a traditional annual holiday held on February 14,
celebrates love and affection between intimate
companions. The holiday is named after one or more early
Christian martyrs named Valentine. The tradition was
established by Pope Gelasius I in AD 500. Details
related to the martyrs have been largely forgotten.
Today,
Valentine's Day is traditionally a time for lovers to
express their attraction to a companion by presenting
flowers, various confections and greeting cards, or
Valentines. Since the time of Geoffrey Chaucer during
the High Middle Ages, the notion of courtly love or
romantic love has been associated with this holiday.
Symbols of the day include heart shaped cards, doves and
the figure of a winged cupid. The tradition of 19th
century handwritten valentines has given way to the
modern custom of sending and receiving mass-produced
greeting cards. The Sketchbook haiku poets
extend this tradition with the composition of
Valentine's Day haiku.
The haiku of
the Sketchbook poets express a wide range
of emotions:
an
expression of Romantic love:
starry-eyed lovers
kissing under the full moon...
Valentine's Day
# 01. Keith A. Simmonds, TT
Valentine Day
the roses more fragrant
than usual
# 79. Jacek Margolak, PL
a love
overlooking superficial flaws in a companion:
Valentine's Day
if I've grown old and grey
he notices not
# 06. Audrey Downey, US
Even the
animal kingdom seems to celebrate emotions of attraction
similar to humans:
valentine's day—
the zoo chimpanzees
groom each other
# 04. an'ya, US
Chinese New Year...
the growl of the Tiger
on Valentine's Day
# 03. Willie R. Bongcaron, PH
a mutual
love during which we humans resort to frivolous and / or
impulsive behaviors:
our
on-line affair
zapped
by a storm
# 08. Barbara A. Taylor, AU
breakfast in bed
we kiss away
the crunchy crumbs
# 62. Ralf Bröker, DE
recycling
last year's cards...
Valentine's Day
# 17. Barbara A. Taylor, AU
an unending
and enduring infatuation with each other:
my
heart my heart
my heart my heart
Kiss Me!
# 38. Ed Baker, US
the old couple
falling in love again...
flood of memories
# 89. Keith A. Simmonds, TT
expressing
sadness and sometimes bitterness due to a broken or
disconnected relationship:
Valentine's Day card
returned to sender—
address unknown
# 88. Keith A. Simmonds, TT
inside her card
this year's
child support notice
# 36. Ed Baker, US
a shy
expression of love and or admiration:
love
song...
a lad hides a bouquet
behind his back
# 30. Willie R. Bongcaron, PH
expressing
anxiety or uncertainty in a love relationship:
Valentine’s day
the untrodden snow
around the mailbox
# 83. Bouwe Brower, NL
an over
zealous expression of love on Valentine's Day:
another
Valentine's Day card
from my insurance agent
# 21. Ed Baker, US
love month...
whom shall I embrace
on Valentine's Day?
# 22. Willie R. Bongcaron, PH
a love that
endures in spite of the ravages of time:
Valentine's Day—
repeating their vows
sixty years later
# 92. Keith A. Simmonds, TT
valentine's day
we slow our pace
around the pond
# 40. Cindy Tebo, US
Valentine's Day:
widower at the cemetery
clutching last year's card
# 80. Keith A. Simmonds, TT
a fear, or
hurt expressing the rejection of someone's love:
Valentine's Day...
last year's card
still unopened
# 74. Keith A. Simmonds, TT
bitterness,
disappointment and rejection are sometimes expressed:
Valentine’s Day
after the wedding
divorce 101
# 55. Patricia Carragon, US
Valentine’s Day
Cupid can’t shoot straight
No wonder I’m still single
# 67. Patricia Carragon, US
expressing a
longing for love and fulfillment of an ongoing
relationship:
Valentine’s Day
single
in a crowd of couples
# 49. Patricia Carragon, US
Valentine’s Day
there are more frogs
than princes
# 51. Patricia Carragon, US
Clearly,
these Sketchbook haiku poets have captured
a broad sense feelings that humans express on the
traditional Valentine's Day, February 14.
I extend a
hearty thank you to the participants of this thread.
John
Daleiden, Sketchbook editor.
