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The Calendar Months Project: ‘Puffed Up February’

February 1, 2023 | 4:23 AM
in ART, COLUMNS
3
Photographs by Mildred Alpern.

“Puffed Up February”
By Mildred Alpern

February has it rough
Seems the month’s not up to snuff
Shortchanged by a day or two
That would seem to make it blue.

But top vendors far and wide
Have devised a mid-month guide:
Candy, bracelets, jewel, and gem
Sparkles and roses, best long stem
Crushed red foil with chocolate heart
Sugared jelly its counterpart

Greeting cards with “I Love You”
Stream through postal boxes too
Day fourteen by select design
Celebrates red valentine

Heart shaped forms of sweet emotion
Embraces and words of felt devotion
Money flows with scarce a glance
Puffs up February with love/romance

The calendar months project arose from a simple question: what makes each month distinctive? The poems were created to merge the wonder of the people and sites of the neighborhood with the calendar months. Culling through my archive of photographs, I was able to find images that illustrated some of the rhyming verses. ~Mildred Alpern

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Lawrence Braverman
Lawrence Braverman
2 years ago

Charming! This reader looks forward to 11 more distinctly flavored tributes!

1
Reply
Bambi Wolfe
Bambi Wolfe
2 years ago

I like the commentary on the prescribed and forced definition of love, as if we all respond the same way to something that is individually felt, undefined and impossible to capture. This prescription, like so many things in our culture, have purely commercial ends and have nothing to do with romantic love between two people.

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West is best
West is best
2 years ago

Valentines a happy time contrived or not men and women alike can display this sweet romantic holiday to their schoolmates, husbands, loved ones, children, significant others, grandparents, wives, pets and now even a galentines spin off! this is my favorite holiday and I intend to celebrate balloons, candy flowers, jewelry, red food and all! Get creative show some love. Valentines for everyone!

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