Along with my ditty, I always place a rose, the first one yellow, on the steering wheel of her school bus. Now the vase grows crowded since I add one for each passing year. Twenty-nine rhymes with Valentine, so I thought I’d be a smart-ass and change it up. Turns out I got the education. From the heart always comes out the same.

VALENTINE THOUGHT

This could be so easy, year twenty-nine,

Slips inside today’s word, all serpentine.

Then say something like, I would sure feel fine,

If you would be my lovely Valentine.

But I just can’t do it; my rhyme can’t be bought,

By slapping down a jaded love-worn thought.

So resolve stiffened, as did brain and spine,

Came out the same: love, will you still be mine?

So

No matter the how,

Regardless the way,

Will you be my Valentine on this special day?