Lenore Skenazy


As Cupid's favorite day draws near


It's time to give full-throated cheer


Not just to all the gals and guys


With whom we share our love (and fries) 


But also to those other things


That buoy the soul like water wings.


Things so everyday-ish they


Get overlooked. But not today!


Today we frankly celebrate 


The stuff we overlook that's great.


Stuff like sponges when they're new


That don't yet smell like old fondue


Made in someone's sweaty shoe


(That make your hands smell like it, too.)


To all ye sponges not yet gross:


A toast to virgin cellulose!



And let us also give full props


To all our favorite dollar shops


Filled with cards, and cans of fish,


And puzzle books, and licorice,


And napkins and the spatulas


You find in homes of batchulas


Plus the toys worth more than gold


To anyone who's 4 years old.


We may be down, but at those stores


We're living like Louis Quatorze!



Time now, to also offer thanks


To a thigh's best friend: her Spanx.


And while we're at it, let's thank, too,


Whoever gave us super glue


And its cousin, twice removed


The Post-it note. Can't be improved.


And Ziploc bags -- we love you, natch. 


And toothpicks with the floss attached.


Also getting thanks, muchachas?


Small motels for cucarachas.



On this day of love and hearts


We hail the happy Pop of Tarts


Whether frosted or just plain


They fill the role of pink Champagne


To kids whose lives are one long wait


Between the Pop-Tarts that they ate.


(And some of us at 63


May share that same affinity.)



Finally, let us kiss through air


That humble thing we call The Chair


The seat of pow'r! The people's throne!


Allowing us to work, un-prone.


Whether hard or downright mushy


Thanks from our collective tushy.



You daily items, full of grace


Make our world a better place.


Plastic, frosted, sticky, plain,


Cheap or crunchy, cute, mundane


To you we say: "I'm glad you're mine!


Will you please be my Valentine?"




Lenore Skenazy is president of Let Grow, a contributing writer at Reason.com, and author of "Has the World Gone Skenazy?"




Photo by Laura Ockel on Unsplash

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