Quote:
Originally Posted by BobK  2 'Roses are red,/Violets are blue/<whatever>.../<whatever>... you' is a conventional rhyme, often adopted by love-struck teenagers who aren't great poets. |
Well, I don't know any modern teenagers, love-struck or otherwise, who would use this poem.
The "original" rhyme, as used in Valentine's cards, is:
Rose are red,
Violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet,
And so are you.
An alternative for the last line would be: "And I love you."
This poem is now used, as BobK says, to represent crude romantic poetry, particularly of the sort you might find in mass-produced Valentine's cards. For example, if you see a cartoon where somebody is writing the words "Roses are red...", this indicates that they are writing (or trying to write) romantic verse.
Most often, though, you'll see this verse being parodied. For example:
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
A kipper's a fish
That smells like you.
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Please don't kiss me,
'Cause I have the flu.
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Most poems rhyme,
But this one doesn't.