Poetry Friday: Happy Faustine's Day

Every February 15th, I pledge my love to my Faustine, Sean. And every year he returns the favor. I have learned that the Faustine's Day holiday is not universally celebrated, which confuses me, because it is a feast of a Roman martyr (and his brother, Jovita), beheaded by Hadrian. I am told there is some other such martyr who has a feast about the same time, who seems to get a lot more attention.

Anyhoo, the great thing about Faustine's Day is there are frequently excellent sales on the sort of thing one would give one's beloved: heart-shaped chocolates, flowers, pink teddy bears, and so forth. One thing lacking every single year, however, are Faustine cards. Sean always makes me one, with an illustrated poem, which follows.

Faustine, Hero of Love
by Sean Gleeson





Long ago, in Roman days
Faustine went to and fro
To spread God's love, His word and ways,
And Jovita, Faustine's bro.



On the city streets he'd preach,
And the alleyways thereof.
"Amo, Amas, Amat," he'd teach.
I love, you love, He loves.



But the man in charge was bad
Hadrian the Great.
The emperor was spitting mad!
Haters gonna hate.



"I shall kill Faustinus dead
To stop his words of love!
Make a trophy of his head!
Jovita's too, by Jove!"



Faustine chuckled at the king.
"Our heads are yours to lop.
But love is an eternal thing.
It can neither die nor stop."



So Faustinus spilt his blood
For love of God and Man.

Be my Faustine, if you would,
And I'll be yours if I can.

More Poetry Friday entries can be found here.