Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Valentine's Day 2007

Here it comes, again. Valentine's Day. The world's number one mass-marketed and wholly-manufactured celebration. I've got nothing against it, but I don't recall really celebrating it either.

Well, actually I did, but only once, back in Secondary School. And that one time left me with a broken confidence for quite a long while (made me think twice whenever I talked to girls; I was pretty pathetic back then).

Then three years ago, I commented about the amount of attention a friend of mine received during Valentine's Day. You see, in 2004, this friend of mine got 55 roses from a number of admirers. It prompted me to e-mail her this poem (she wasn't from my school):
Valentine's Day Complaint

As sure as birds will fly
And lawyers lie
Valentine's Day
Is here to stay

A day of celebration
Of young hopefuls' admiration
Of fancied members
Of the opposite (or in some cases, same) gender

Some get roses
Others sugary pleasures
Unfortunately for most
There's nothing to boast

Without a significant other
This day is like any other
Just another 24 hours
Of plodding through life's sewers

Bored as heck
From college (yes, I have classes on Saturdays) I came back
I wrote this poem
To kill my boredom

Yes, I'm complaining
Damn, it's friggin' irritating
There's nothing to do
But sit in this chair and rue

For to me, Louie Yin
This day has no meaning
I'm so lonely T_T
I'm part of the majority

Yes, the majority
We need lots of pity
For unlike a certain someone (hint, hint -_-)
Received roses, two dozen and twenty one!

So send me your condolences
Or letters, or messages
Or pictures, or more
At 016-3686834 ^_^

And before I stop rhyming
And start my proper e-mail writing
I want to wish your health good
And a better Valentine's Day to boot

(Note that I have already changed my phone number, and that I wrote the poem in less than 10 minutes)
While I was in the hostel in Singapore, V-Day passed without me even realising that it was there. Now that I'm back here and because I've not posted anything in almost two weeks, I decided to write another poem commemorating Singles' Appreciation Day:
This Day Of Remembrance

And so it arrives, knocking at the door,
The day of remembrance of an overlooked saint
Whose name remained in popular lore,

Yet causes unwarranted stress and strain,
Birthed from tales of sacrificial lambs,
An excuse for birth of affection feigned.

Though love so pure can from normal men stem,
More often than not, the heart does lie,
Catastrophes blamed on bodily phlegm.

Pitiful are flowers that wantonly try
To draw in a bee with petals of flame
When nectar alone will get them by,

For even Venus beat the fly at the game.
So thus I lie in waiting for the one
Who pierces my being by the whisper of her name,

And then I shall make this day of this month
No more or less important than another;
Every moment burns, fiery like the Sun.

The foolish are not mistaken, but rather
Seizing the day for unconditional love.
I too realise the folly of my endeavours,

But never will I let the florists and cardmakers gain
From this day of remembrance of an overlooked saint.
I haven't written a poem in a long time. But anyway, to those who have something planned for tomorrow, enjoy yourselves! Appreciate what you have, and don't just do it on Valentine's when everything is at least five times more expensive. Y'know, if Malaysian pragmatism did the talking, everybody would be celebrating their relationships in December, when everything is on sale.

As well as for those like me, let us all raise a glass to better prospects and a brighter future!

Zhen was here at 12:31 am,