Love – Valentine Haiku

My stay in an internet-deficient hospital room prevented a timelier posting of this Valentine Haiku, but my lockdown also allowed me to read and review the weighty new International Handbook of Love: Transcultural and Transdisciplinary Perspectives edited by Claude-Hélène Mayer and Elisabeth Vanderheiden.

Love is of three kinds

Eros starts between the legs,

keeps the race alive.

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Philia joins us,

with warmth and affection,

as friends, family.

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Boundless Agape

is the active empathy

that embraces all.

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Today, Valentine

is a big-time Eros brand

of sweets, sexy cards,

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date invitations,

a market for chocolates,

online plaints and porn.

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Though done with his name,

it’s not how Val nourished love

with his bishop’s touch.

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To the poor, the Saint

distributed dowries,

through windows at night.

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Agape births deeds.

Doing well is not enough

without doing good.

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In these raucous times,

let our Philia take on

Agape’s force.