Today I Got a Valentine

by Kenn Nesbitt

Revenge of the Lunch Ladies: The Hilarious Book of School PoetryToday I got a Valentine
from everyone but Kay.
But that’s alright…
I never liked her that much anyway.

She never trades her Oreos.
She isn’t good at catch.
She doesn’t like my favorite bands.
Her socks don’t often match.

She doesn’t play computer games.
She wears her hair in braids.
She’s something of a teacher’s pet
and always gets good grades.

She dots her i’s with little hearts.
She’s always reading books.
Whenever I’m around, she gives me
such confusing looks.

But, oh my goodness, here comes Kay,
and what is this I see?
It seems she has an extra special
Valentine for me.

It’s big and red has the words
“Will you be mine today?”
I always said there’s no one else
I like as much as Kay.

Copyright © 2007 Kenn Nesbitt. From the book Revenge of the Lunch Ladies. Meadowbrook Press. Reprinted by permission of the author.

About this Poem

When I was in the second grade, I had a crush on a girl in my class. My father convinced me that I should buy her an extra special Valentine’s Day card. I did, but giving it to her was probably the most embarrassing moment of my young life. The funny thing is, I don’t think she noticed. I’m pretty sure she didn’t know I existed before I gave her the card or after. But since then I’ve often thought about how kids give Valentine’s Day cards to everyone in class, and I wonder if many kids work up the courage to give a special card to someone they like a lot.

About The Author

Kenn Nesbitt, Children's Poet LaureateChildren’s Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt is the author of many books for kids, including Kiss, Kiss Good Night, My Hippo Has the Hiccups, Revenge of the Lunch Ladies, and many others. His poems have appeared in numerous bestselling anthologies, including every book in the popular Kids Pick the Funniest Poems series, and anthologies with nearly two million copies in print. His work has been published in hundreds of school textbooks around the world, as well as national television programs, and numerous children’s magazines. Kenn travels the country, visiting over 60 schools each year, sharing his wacky brand of poetry with kids nationwide, and helping to create a new generation of poetry lovers. His website, poetry4kids.com, is the most visited children’s poetry website on the Internet.

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One response to “Today I Got a Valentine”

  1. Awww…love this one, Kenn. I love how it comes full circle, only at the end he can actually admit that he likes her:>) And all the details about her that he rattles off.

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