Valentine’s Day has come and gone, and I remain ever watchful,
Undeceived by its gaudy face and motives most commercial.
Fickle minds and restless hands flit from store to store
Browsing dating apps or gift shops – is there a difference anymore?
Farmers, florists beam with pride, bouquets are making a killing,
Chocolatiers and jewellers can scarce count their shillings!
Greeting cards, fine wines are selling like hot cakes,
Unchecked consumption for a made-up occasion’s sake!
“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?
A hundred poses, a thousand pics, but in nary a one I look tall!”
High heels and big boots are flying off the shelves,
Rabid desire to compensate, or shoes charmed by little elves?
Online stories, statuses awash with proclaimed love,
Baffling since your partner isn’t on social media, bruv.
Whither went quiet confidence and the tender touch of romance?
Reduced to vain displays of honeymoons in France.
Oh, how came a tradition of yore to be today this dim?
A feast day for a saint it was, until warped on a Victorian whim!
Once about martyrdom, later vulgar expressions of love; a deep schism,
V-Day – is it Valentine’s or Victory Day for capitalism?
Vishal Onkhar is from Chennai, India and pursuing his PhD in Vehicle Engineering at TU Delft. He is an avid player of chess and video games, but he also harbours a special interest for reading and writing fantasy fiction. He doesn’t drink coffee but good music and film have the same effect on him.
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