Most highly favoured the Slater clan,
striking lads and lively beauties
of equally exceptional parents
who proudly performed their duties

In a rambling old house on Springfield Street
they grew into their godlike skin,
fed on Schubert, Hawthorne, Tolstoy and Kant,
to some, their existence a sin.

Valerie, though, was a different sort,
the youngest of this dynasty,
cheated at birth of spectacular gifts
as homely as ever could be.

To avoid brash comments and raised eyebrows,
she was lovingly kept at home
and taught by siblings of far off places
that she herself never would roam.

With effort, she learned to cook and to sew,
take pride in the shine on the floor-
as she developed, deciphered the truth
that this was her lot and no more.

But Cupid had other ideas for Val,
though the young girl could not have known
an arrow would pierce the heart of one man
and she would find a love of her own.

One warm June morning, the Slater's were off
doing mythical sorts of things
as she, in the garden, hung the wet clothes
of the resident queens and kings.

She sang as she worked, a plaintive tune
with notes of such uncommon grace,
one, if passing, could not help but notice
the radiant glow on her face.

Just down the hill lived a broken spirit
who spent his dark days in despair
his house not a home, was filled with neglect
and badly in need of repair.

Edward Tine sat nearby the cracked window
and stared at the black empty sky
as sunrays danced on the floor of the room
ignored by an unseeing eye.

Though blind without question, his hearing keen
led Val's haunting song in the breeze
to float in the house that wasn't a home
and bring the poor wretch to his knees.

So pure this sound! Bearing joy long forgot
to a heart, withered and hollow,
which swelled with promise as Tine wandered toward
the voice he knew he must follow.

And this is how Val encountered the man
enchanted, who stood at her gate,
blue eyes gleaming with the light of true love
in this wink of romantic fate.

Their marriage, a chorus of days then years,
a house now a home shined with care
and songs of undying passion played on
for the happy, unlikely pair.

Valerie, the vision of loveliness,
which Edward continued to see,
endeavoured to be the unblemished wife
no Slater assumed she could be.

Romance like this is too big to contain
soon lends itself out to the air
where others inhale its amorous scent
till they, too, are caught unaware.

Finally the townsfolk began to feel
a light hearted inclination
to mark one day for the worthy couple
in annual celebration.

Red roses and candy, gifts much desired,
vows of eternal devotion,
as sweethearts became electrified
creating a great commotion.

Delightfully new tradition took hold,
young lovers declared not to stray,
waiting with hopeful anticipation
for Cupid on Val and Tine's day.

by Deborah L. Carter