ROSES ARE RED VIOLETS ARE BLUE SUGAR IS SWEET AND SO ARE YOU (OR MAYBE NOT) In the 1960s Jim Reeves and others warbled their way through treacle with their top-selling versions of this little verse. At the same time, and with casual cruelty, schoolchildren were subverting the song in each other’s autograph books (remember those?) and cheerfully writing: Roses are red Violets are blue A face like yours Belongs in the zoo. By the way, these sardonic little poets were probably the same diligent students who enjoyed rewriting Christmas carols. Hark the herald angels sing Beechams pills are just the thing But this is no time for digressions…. The cards, the poems, the heart shaped pizzas…… Let’s focus on the red roses, the chocolates, the satin hearts, the inflated  prices and the short-lived annual frenzy of Valentine’s Day on February 14. By now, of course, it’s the end of February so the roses have shrivelled, the leftovers have been sold off at half pri...