Blame Chaucer

Today's the day people are either loving or hating.  Can Buy Me Love Day, Forced Romance Day, V-Day, or plain ol' Valentine's Day, today's the day that celebrates love and all that goes with it, like flowers, chocolate, dinner, etc., etc.  You get the idea.  If your love life is going swimmingly, you'll love today, but if it's not so hunkydory, you'll just want to fast-forward through today or throw chocolates and projectiles at the hearts of happy lovebirds.

So, who do we get to blame for starting the association of Valentine's Day with love?  None other than the 14th century English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer.  Yes, the same guy who told us some bawdy stories in The Canterbury Tales began the tradition of love with St. Valentine's Day.  And how did he do it?  He wrote a poem (no kidding) considered to be the first Valentine's Day poem and titled "The Parliament of Fowls" to celebrate the engagement of England's Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. 

 

And you can also blame Richie and Annie for V-Day since that was the day on which they became engaged.  Giving some thought, I suppose it's better that they got engaged on the feast day of St. Valentine's Day rather than on the feast day of some other saint.  Can you imagine saying Happy Eligius Day?  Or better yet, Happy Sexburga Day?

Whether you have a love fest for two or a love fest for one, I wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day!

On the perch looking at flowers from my sweetie.