Valentine’s Day Has Been Cancelled – This Is Not a Test!

Poem by Aya de Leon

I think it was your eyes
they caught mine
as I was thinking about how full lips kiss so sweet
this is the type of man I been trying to meet
& later that night when you

we interrupt this love poem
to bring you an important announcement
valentine’s day has been cancelled
this is not a test
Love is in a state of emergency
people are desperate for real love, not
I’m lost without you
nothing can come between us
hit me baby one more time
I’ll never breathe again
predatory ego manufactured love

we repeat
valentine’s day has been cancelled
this is not a test
despite incredible losses in revenue
cards, chocolates, champagne, teddy bears, jewelry
& other random objects that people buy each other
to prop up sagging & dysfunctional relationships
will not be for sale this year
you know who you are
& it’s time to let what was never alive die.

valentine’s day has been cancelled
this is not a test.
do not try to adjust your TV set or radio
in fact, turn that static off.
For the next 24 hours, there will be
no love songs
no heat you up songs
no slow jams
no late nite request & dedication call-in shows
no romantic TV programs or movies

just 24 hours of silence for you to contemplate
what is real love?
without ABC, CBS, WB, Fox, Tristar, KBLX, KMEL, KISS,
Harlequin romances, playboy, penthouse, hustler, players
and other media outlets to tell you
what you want
how you want it
what position you want it in
how tall, thick, soft, hard, stacked, hung, and/or wet
you want it to be.

valentine’s day has been cancelled
this is not a test
your boyfriend’s number will be busy
your girlfriend will not be waiting by the phone
your wife and/or husband has made other plans
all singles bars, strip clubs, tele-personals lines,
romantic getaway destinations, hot tub places, and make out spots
have been shut down for the duration
All dating and adult entertainment websites have crashed
until further notice
there will be no looking for love in all the wrong places
because all the wrong places are closed tonight

citizens are encouraged to stay indoors and remember
to love their friends
and if you don’t have loveable friends, make some
to love your family
and if your family is too screwed up
find some loving folks to be your new family
to love God
and if God has failed you,
find a new God
or a new conception of God
But most of all, love yourselves
and if,
sitting at home in the silence,
you notice that you don’t love yourself,
then fasten your seat belt and get ready to work on that
cause what you need is not gonna be found
in a box of candy / dozen roses / tall dark handsome / 36-24-36

when February 14th rolls around and
you wish somebody was loving you
or wish you were somebody else
or you wish the person loving you was somebody else

Yes, for your own good
valentine’s day has been cancelled
this is not a test
and now we return you to the poem already in progress

& when we stepped into the bedroom,
I could feel drums pounding in my womb
& as we stripped
you made me feel like my soul was chocolate dipped
then you opened your mouth and tasted me
oh yes baby, set me free
so I’m offering up this heart of mine
lover, won’t you be my–
this is not a test.