+J.M.J.+
Unfading Roses
By "Matrix Refugee"

Author's Note
The idea for this came to me when I was braiding together some red, white and pink Christmas lights into a garland to decorate my porch, and after I read Joshua Falken's exquisite "A.I." poem on the Yahoo! Group "AI_Fanfiction". I'm not too keen on St. Valentine's Day, since it has become a couples holiday and, as of this writing, I don't have a special someone in my life. But I decided to stop being such a wet blanket and post these (Okay, I'll admit they're a little mushy; I'm a really a closet romantic, *Road to Perdition* bits of nastiness notwithstanding [To those of you who have seen my latest, I suppose you could argue this was meant to balance out the awfulness I put on the "Miscellaneous Movies" page]. I'm a very complex person.).

Disclaimer:
I do not own "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence", its characters, concepts, or other indicia, which are the property of DreamWorks SKG, Warner Brothers, the late Stanley Kubrick, the great Steven Spielberg, et al., based on characters/concepts from Brian Aldiss's short story "Supertoys Last All Summer Long."
I David

(Written on cream-colored paper in colored crayon)

Mommy's roses are red,
My eyes are blue,
They say sugar is sweet,
And Mommy is too!
II Monica

(Written on artist's paper in felt-tip pen, red and pink)

Little child, little one,
You came into my life
Once so dark and cold.

Little child, little heart,
You gave me your heart
And helped me find mine.

Little child, little boy,
People say you're just a toy,
But they don't know the joy you bring.

Little child, little man,
You brought me life,
Though you live in a different way.

Little child, little David,
Happy 1st Valentine's Day!
III Joe

(Written on unlined, parchment-like rose-colored letter paper with purple ink in what seems to be an old-fashioned fountain pen)

In the cold of this long winter,
Let my arms bring you warmth.
In the dark of your endless night,
Let my eyes bring you light.
When salt tears fall from your eyes,
Let my sweet kisses wash them away.
When no "real" man finds delight your beauty,
I shall see the beauty in you.
When no "real" man cares to comfort you,
Let me be your wellspring of solace.
Though some say I am not alive
Touch me and live again.
When no one wants you for their Valentine,
Let me be thine.