Ladies love poetry. Sometimes. But these guys on OkCupid aren't exactly Pablo Neruda.
If you believe romantic comedies, romance novels or the greeting card industry, there are few things women love more than chocolate, roses and poetry. And that’s sort of true – as long as the chocolate, roses and poetry are good. But just like you probably wouldn’t grow your own roses unless you are a gardener or make your own chocolate unless you are a chocolatier, you probably shouldn’t try to woo a woman by writing your own poetry, unless you are a poet. Especially online. Because then you sound like this guy on OkCupid:
I am writing you this poem because i don’t know you and since i have no idea what to say to you all that comes to mind is this poem. i hope that just like i took a moment to write you, that you take a minute to reply
Is always a blessing to come across you,
i don’t know why i am so curious about you,
but i sure want to find out.
perhaps are your mysterious eyes that want to love.
the type of eyes that remind me the promise of love.
i don’t know why i gotta meet you this way,
but i sure hope to grow where ever your love hides.
forgive me for not finding more ways to get your attention,
all i had in mind are this words to bring you joy,
with the hope to grow in your heart.
At least every line starts with a different word. Unlike this lovely piece, sent to a lady on Plenty of Fish:
i i want to see are you my true beauty, True beauty is in the way you laughs
True beauty is in your eyes
True beauty is how you acts
True beauty is inside of you
True beauty is unseen
… True beauty is only felt
True beauty is not mean
True beauty is herself
True beauty can’t be cruel
True beauty is bare
True beauty within you
True beauty is always there
True Beauty can’t be covered with makeup
True beauty means true love
True beauty can’t be baked up
True beauty is the flight of a dove
True beauty has no flaws
For True beauty is all that matters after all it this you because this is what i,m looking for in you? „
Hey, he rhymes, even if I’m not sure what “baked up” means in this context. And his definition of True Beauty is remarkably not sleazy, at least for an internet dating message. For all of its cheesiness, it is also remarkably not bitter. Which is more than one can say for this message:
Cheaters may lose in the long run but so too do we all
Because we look for happiness in an infinite online mall
Where our yearnings can be fulfilled with just one more click
As our sense of self withers like a flower that was long ago handpicked
