Saint Valentine’s Day

A history in rhyme
By Bill Jongbloed

• Do you send Valentine Cards

  Do you send them each year

  Do you know how it started

  Read on and you’ll hear

  For in the fourth century AD

  Emperor Claudius decreed

  Roman’s worship twelve god’s

  It was evil indeed

  But Valentinus refused

  As Christ only he served

  And he was jailed for this crime

  Awaiting a fate undeserved

  But his jailer could see

  This man was learned and wise

  And his daughter was born blind

  Could Valentinus be her eyes

  So young Julia was brought

  To this great man in his cell

  Who taught of history and math

  And of God did he tell

  Soon she trusted his teachings

  Saw the world through his eyes

  As he proved wise and strong

  And he never told lies

  Then one day Julia asked

  Does God hear what I pray

  Valentinus replied

  God hears all that you say

  Now young Julia was praying

  Hard each morning and night

  She prayed hard to see

  She prayed for her eyesight

  Valentinus then told her

  God does what is best

  But to receive of God’s gifts

  You must first pass his test

  Do you believe in Lord Jesus

  She said yes yes I do

  Then they knelt and held hands

  And her faith was proved true

• For as they prayed in the dungeon

  There came a brilliant flash of light

  Julia cried Valentinus

  God has given me sight

  Praise be to God

  Valentinus proclaimed

  Julia wept in his arms

  Praise be to God she exclaimed

  Now on the eve of his execution

  To his friend Julia he wrote

  Please stay close to God

  Is what he wrote in that note

  And he signed this last letter

  From your Valentine

  So it’s in this man’s honor

  That we give Valentine’s

  So on the 14th of February

  His life came to end

  And Julia grieved fiercely

  As he was truly her friend

  So an almond tree she planted

  With blossoms pink near his grave

  As both a sign of her friendship

  And of the friendship he gave

  So that now to this day

  Almond trees stand a sign

  Of love and of friendship

  As they have from that time

  So on the 14th of February

  Please celebrate Valentine’s Day

  With both the things that you do

  And the words that you say

  But take not this day lightly

  As you give of your love

  As your thoughts and your prayers

  Are heard by God up above

  So this was the lesson

  Valentinus lived to teach

  May it indure through all ages

  And may all people it reach