Saint Valentine Poem by Jan Struther

Saint Valentine looked down from heaven
Upon his own especial day,
And scanned the broad face of the earth
Below him as it lay.
Then Satan whispered in his ear
With smile triumphant and malign,
'Upon your shame and your defeat
Look long, Saint Valentine!
'For valentines are out of date
And all romance is at an end;
There are no bleeding hearts to staunch,
No broken ones to mend.
'Your children have forgot your feast
And scorned your symbol and your sign.
Upon a world which needs you not
Look down, Saint Valentine!'
Said Valentine to Lucifer,
'Yea, on the earth mine eyes are bent;
And with the sights that greet them there
Lo, I am well content.
'For I can see in every town,
At every corner of the street,
A lover with an eager face
A-waiting for his sweet.
'And I can see in every lane,
Ere yet the primrose buds appear,
A lover wrapped in ecstasy
A-walking with his dear.
'They do not call upon my name;
They set no flowers in my shrine;
Yet I have seen what I have seen-
I am content!' said Valentine.