Every year February 13th comes and I continually find myself scrambling for a Valentine’s Day gift. Not because I have procrastinated, but because I can never really find a gift among all the candy hearts, boxes of chocolates, and lip-tattooed undergarments that fully expresses the love I truly feel for my husband.
This year, I am taking it old school. I mean WAY old school… as in 2037 BC. I’m talking about the good, old-fashioned…love poem.
Here are the top 3 reasons that a poem is the PERFECT gift this Valentine’s Day:
#1. It is personal, unique, sentimental, and straight from the heart.
#2. It is completely free for the giver and forever priceless for the receiver.
#3. You can keep it forever, to cherish and look back on when you are old and wrinkly.
(The first love poem was written in 2037 BC found on a clay tablet from a Bride of the Sumerian King. That’s pretty dang romantic.)
—
Here are some types of poetry you can try:
Free Verse Poem- patterned by everyday speech and images. Called “free” because there are no rules binding it.
First just try writing down your thoughts on a piece of paper.
Next, arrange them in a more poetic order and form and find a great vessel for your poem (scrapbook paper, a photo, etc.).
Cut-Out Poem- uses words and phrases cut from magazines to form a free-verse style poem.
First gather a few old magazines or newspapers. Next, cut out words and phrases that pop out to you, contain a personal meaning, or just sound poetic.
Then arrange them on a piece of scrapbook paper, poster board, or anything else you wish. This one has the potential to be fun, silly, or steamy (wink, wink;), depending on the magazines you use. I happened to use Shape and Golf Digest.
Rhyming Poem-uses rhyming words in various patterns (think of nearly every nursery rhyme).
The best poems are the most personal ones, so add inside jokes, memories, and specifics. Let the poem mirror your relationship.
My husband and I met our first semester of college, but didn’t marry until four years later. At one point we unknowingly ended up in a Poetry 101 class together, when we were NOT together. Over the course of the semester, we wrote and read tons of each other’s poetry, some silly, some crazy, and some sentimental to our relationship I have a book of poems that document our roller-coaster courtship and it is one of my “treasures.”
To this day, we still keep those poems in our “Treasure Box” and continue to write new ones every once in a while.
They end up taped to the bathroom mirror, in a lunch box, or between the pages of a book one of us is reading. They’re not great by any literary means, but they make us laugh and remember why we love each other. Hopefully it will do the same for you.
Some other ideas of where to put your poems:
-A message in a bottle -Inside a helium balloon -wrapped around a single flower -on their pillow -a purse or briefcase
If you have any other great ideas, please comment below!
{Sharing these ideas with these parties!}
Shelley says
This makes me smile. I love the way your write, and giving a good old heart felt (2037 BC) poem is such a fun idea. -You’ve inspired me, I’m writing my husband a silly romantic (maybe a little suggestive) poem for Vday. 🙂 Thanks Nicolette!
Alysha says
This is such a cute idea! I love the sentimental gifts. 🙂 They always mean the most.
Becka @ Just a Bunch of Momsense says
Oh. My. Word. The timing of this could NOT have been better. Let me explain…
In a nutshell, my hubs (that I love dearly) is IMPOSSIBLE to buy for. Here’s why: He’s not techy, doesn’t wear jewelry/cologne, not into clothes, likes sports but not the paraphernalia, not handy, likes music but prefers talk radio, doesn’t watch TV, and get this — doesn’t like sweets!! Now, are you ready for the real kicker?? He doesn’t like…..wait for it…. for me to spend any money on him!! What’s a girl to do?
Oh, but that’s not even the best part. Fast forward to January 31,2012 (last night.) I came across a cute idea and decided to shake things up a bit this year. Instead of my husband over-spending on a nice gift for me, and then me giving him yet more beef jerky & pistachio nuts (weird, I know, but he LIKES those things,) I decided we would do a “Valentine’s Family Gift Exchange.” So last night during family night, myself, my husband, and our 2 kids (ages 11 & 15)drew names for our secret gift pals. The whole time I was thinking this will be great because one of the kids will probably pick Dad’s name & MAKE him something cool, and he will love it. No. GUESS WHO picked him?! Yours truly! Can you believe it?! Man!
Sooo… I did what anyone would do in my position. I googled “$10 gift ideas for guys” and of course, came up with the same old techy gadgets and pocket knives, etc. But THIS. THIS is awesome. And the best part is that I write sweet (and corny) poems all the time! I think I was just over-analyzing this whole gift thing and not thinking about something so simple and personal. (And honestly, I was thinking I would pick one of the kids names – Easy Peasy.)
So, all that to say…. THANK YOU for this wonderful post! You have no idea how helpful it is! And I have a full 2 weeks to work on my poem!! From the bottom of my Valentine’s heart, thank you, thank you, thank you! 😀
Nicolette says
My husband is the same way! Sometimes, I think we all over-analyze Valentine’s Day, when it’s really just about the love that we share. Simplicity is good. I’m so glad you’re going to try it, he will LOVE your poem!
Sonja says
Love to hear someone else is writing poetry! For the past 3 years, I have surprised my husband (of 32 years!) with a surprise each month (trip, cooking class, picnic, museum, etc.) on the date we were married. To start off the year, I write him a poem each January. I’ve written about everything from when we started dating, to our wedding, the kids, and our relationship now. Saturday was the 28th, so I read the poem to him, we got in the car, and headed off to his surprise (I tell him: turn left. go straight.) because he has no idea what’s up. The poems hang in the kitchen where they can be seen and read often throughout the year. They are very special to both of us! Part of the fun is the crazy rhymes I come up with!!
Nicolette says
That is the sweetest thing! I hope I can keep things as fun and romantic as that after 32 years too! I’m going to try and use your idea of a surprise outing:).
Penny says
I LOVE, LOVE this idea! My husband is always saying “Don’t spend any money on me for Valentines Day.” It’s nice that this is free, and from the heart. I love seeing how much you two are in love 😉