Cupid's Darts

A delightfully waspish bit of Valentine's verse from 1918, Cupid's Darts takes aim at romantic cliché and emerges hilariously unscathed. Published in Carolyn Wells' anthology Such Nonsense!, this poem swaps roses and moonlit sonnets for something far sharper: a wry, knowing wink at love's absurdities. It's the kind of verse that would make Hallmark cards weep into their glitter glue. The speaker either mocks Cupid's weapons or invites their strike with tongue firmly planted in cheek, delivering couplets that feel both period-perfect and startlingly modern in their wit. At a time when the world was remakeing itself through war, this poem offered readers something rarer than romance: permission to laugh at it. Perfect for reading alone with a chocolate heart, or reading aloud to someone who deserves to be chortled at.