Beneath the Heaps of Worn-Out, Faded Words

Here It Comes ... Valentine's Day!

This has been such a fun season . . . making Valentines, sending them, giving them, receiving them, and tomorrow -- can you imagine all the Valentines little kids will get while they are at school and friends will give to each other and lovers will too.

Tomorrow I have a Valentine for each of my students. I've never met them. Tomorrow will be our first day of the new semester. So I hope they won't think . . . "we're too old be getting a Valentine from our teacher" . . . or . . . "she's really crazy!" But it really doesn't matter what they think because I've got a Valentine for each one and a sweet piece of candy -- a heart shaped Peppermint Patty.

So for this day before Valentine's Day, I have another special poem from my favorite book of poetry, Valentines: Poems.

In The Alley

In the alley behind the florist's shop,
a huge white garbage truck was parked and idling.
In a cloud of exhaust, two men in coveralls
and stocking caps, their noses dripping,
were picking through the florist's dumpster
and each had selected a fistful of roses.

As I walked past, they gave me a furtive,
conspiratorial nod, perhaps sensing
that I, too (though in my business suit and tie)
am a devotee of garbage--an aficionado
of the wilted, the shopworn, and the free--
and that I had for days been searching
beneath the heaps of worn-out, faded words
to find this brief bouquet for you.

by Ted Kooser,
Poet Laureate of the United States 2004-2006

Have a fabulous "heart" day wherever you are.
Good night from Southern California.
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol

P.S. Mr. Fun took my car too the car wash this afternoon. He brought her home (my car -- we call her Snow White) (can you guess her color). Then as I drove her to the campus to finalize my books and handouts for tomorrow, the sky began to spit rain. She was so clean, I didn't care if she got all wet. The insides were freshly vacuumed and polished and a lovely fragrance was everywhere inside.

P.P.S. On the way home from the campus, I stopped at Kohl's department store and found some bargain deals -- found 3 turtleneck blouses on the bargain rack for $4.80 each. Got one pair of Gloria Vanderbilt pants on sale for $24.99 and another pair that cost $7.59; I had not realized that they were on clearance. Last week I bought new shoes, so I'm ready to go to school.