Paragraph to Poem, Exercise 2

Romantic Getaway for the Feast of St. Valentine

She’ll be so overwhelmed
with the décor.

Glowing red of the EXIT
sign over the doors matches
the bright red of the cardboard
hearts, hanging eight in number
from the black ceiling.

The love continues:

Gleaming red heart
tinsel hugs the door
handles, lines the edge
of the shelf, bleeds onto the
large black counter, decorates
the bulky, gray cash register.

Spread more love:

Three glittery hearts,
half the size of my palm;
One sits cheerfully on
top of the cash register,
one waves from the top
of a pastry case, one
tries to disguise itself
as a straw, nestled with
the slender plastic tubes
wrapped in fragile white
paper.

I’m sure you’ll get another date.