Tag Archives: mistral wind

Don’t Bring Me Roses

The cold mistral wind blows across the bay,
Where the fog lies kissing the mountainside.
Our hearts and hands entwined, we find our way
To the place where our deepest hopes abide.

On those long winter nights, we sang in tune
Waiting for Venus and Mars to align.
Whispering vows by the light of the moon
Savoring, sipping the sweetest of wines.

I don’t need fine diamonds or flashy cars,
I don’t want your money, flowers or fame.
No need to promise me the moon and stars,
You only need to set my heart aflame.

Promise you love me, forever be mine…
But don’t bring me roses for Valentine’s.

Colleen Keller Breuning © 2023
February 18, 2023

Happy Valentine’s Day to all!

Haha, I know what you’re thinking after reading this sonnet. This sounds like an anti-Valentine’s Day poem, doesn’t it? But it’s really not. I’m not against Valentine’s Day at all. In fact, Dan and I got married the day before Valentine’s Day on February 13, 1988 because it happened to fall on a Saturday that year.

As it turns out, the number 13 evolved to become our lucky number. We were engaged and wed on the 13^th, and the lot we built our current home on was lot number 13. That number has surfaced throughout our lives in good ways, so I’m not superstitious about it.

As for gifts, well… we don’t really buy each other Valentine’s Day gifts or even anniversary gifts anymore. We celebrate our anniversary more than Valentine’s, as it is more meaningful to us. We very rarely go out to dinner on our actual anniversary, because in our experience it’s always a huge Valentine’s day rush. Noisy, crowded restaurants, jacked up prices, mediocre food, impatient waiters just trying to rush you through, bench seating (hate it) ….no thanks! We celebrate with a quiet meal at home and go out a few weeks later when it’s less crowded (and warmer). And wine, of course – well, we always have wine! LOL

So is this poem fact or fiction? It’s more fiction than fact. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like fine diamonds or money, haha. Who doesn’t? And we certainly do not drink sweet wine, we prefer the dry reds. As much as I love flowers, Dan doesn’t buy them for me anymore – and there is a really good reason for that. It’s because my cats never fail to sample the flowers, whether it is roses for Valentine’s, hydrangea for Easter, sunflowers or even a simple houseplant! It’s so wonderful to receive a flower arrangement, but within minutes, Bobby is jumping on top of the kitchen island and nibbling on the leaves. I don’t want to risk them getting sick and destroying the flowers in the process. So I have had to stow flowers in my office, or way up high on the entertainment center. That’s no fun, I feel like I don’t get to really enjoy them. So I guess Dan and I have kind of given up on flowers for now. It’s funny, Jordan also used to love to nibble on flowers – but Tommy did not care for them one bit.

Because it is tax season, both of us worked very full days on both our Anniversary (13 hours for me, lucky 13!) and Valentine’s Day. C’est la vie. Things have been super busy, but in a few weeks we’ll probably venture out to have our dinner celebration. I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day, roses or not!

xoxo
Colleen

Ecrits Blogophilia Week 33.14 Topic: Don’t Bring Me Roses
Hard Bonus: Incorporate a lyric by the rock band Heart (Mistral wind, where the fog lies kissing the mountainside, long winter nights we sang in tune)
Easy Bonus: Use words found on candy hearts (Love me, Be mine)