Punch Up Your Valentine with Poetry

You're almost entirely prepared for Valentine's Day. You've bought your valentine a card, and while the message inside is as beautiful/charming/witty as you could hope it to be, the fact remains that an anonymous someone in the Valentines Department wrote or approved it in a process that required no involvement on your part. You want to give your card a little personal touch, but when repeating "Happy Valentine's Day" in your handwriting or simply signing your name just isn't enough, try adding a poem.

Poetry is practically synonymous with Valentine's Day, but not everyone is at home with poetry. Why not consider haiku? Haiku is a minimalist, syllable-based form of poetry that began in 13th-century Japan. In the original Japanese, the rules that govern haiku are firmly established, but the form gains latitude in English. In traditional haiku, nature imagery yields multiple layers of meaning, there is a turn at the end of the first or second line, and each line can usually stand on its own. But you can have fun playing with the formula. As long as you stick to 17 syllables broken into a line of 5, a line of 7, and a final line of 5, you've got yourself a haiku.

Here are 10 examples of original valentine-appropriate haiku, ranging from tongue-in-check to sincerely romantic. Include one in a card, or use them as inspiration for your own unique Valentine's Day greeting.

Cards and candy are
for suckers. Wanna go catch
a movie with me?

Roses are red. Now
can we go on a date? I
wrote you a poem.

This candy heart says
you'll be my valentine. So
how 'bout it? Will you?

Small, Roman godling
let fly his arrow at me.
Ouch! This must be love.

Shakespeare wrote sonnets
to proclaim his love. Haiku
say more with less ink.

She laughs softly as
he drops his takeout again.
A romance begins.

The world is full of
love songs. The good ones make me
think of you, dearest.

Fogged breath follows me
cozy in mid-winter air
near as thoughts of you.

I will hold you here
in my 'luminated heart
because you lit it.

Soft breeze whispers your
scent across my cheek. I have
found a home in you.