It's never Valentine's Day for me.
After a while you learn
the subtle difference between
holding a hand and chaining a soul
and you learn
that love doesn't mean leaning
and company doesn't always mean security.
You begin to learn
that kisses aren't contracts
and presents aren't promises
and you begin to accept your defeats
with your head high and your eyes ahead
with the grace of woman, not the grief of a child
and you learn
to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow's ground is
too brittle for plans
and futures have a way of caving
before they take flight.
After a while you learn that candy melts
that even sunshine burns
so you plant your own garden
and decorate your soul
instead of waiting for someone
to bring you flowers.
Then you learn that you really can endure
you really are strong
you really do have worth
and you learn
and you learn
with every goodbye, still you will learn.