Valentine
Not a red rose or a satin heart.
I give you an onion.
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
like the careful undressing of love.
Here.
It will blind you with tears
like a lover.
It will make your reflection
a wobbling photo of grief.
I am trying to be truthful.
Not a cute card or a kissogram.
I give you an onion.
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
possessive and faithful
as we are,
for as long as we are.
Take it.
Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring,
if you like.
Lethal.
Its scent will cling to your fingers,
cling to your knife.
Carol Ann Duffy
Poetic voice starts by dismissing
stereotypical valentine gifts -
doesn’t think they hold much
worth.
Title suggests poem will deal with conventional
notions of love - proved wrong in first line.
Speaker is addressing a
romantic partner but gives
something unexpected.
Metaphor - “moon” has
connotations of
romance but “brown
paper” gives the
impression of being
everyday or nothing
special - ties in with the
poet’s idea of real love -
real gifts don’t need
embellishment.
“Light” has positive connotations.
Reflects optimism at the start of
relationships. Simile compares the
shedding of onion layers to delving
deeper into a relationship. Love
requires a careful hand. “careful
undressing” creates image of
undressing a partner.
“Careful” suggests
tenderness, affection to allow
barriers to come down and
expose themselves.
One word sentence suggests
simplicity/straight forward - something
is being given - forceful presentation.
Simile - accepts the truth about love - it
isn’t all perfect and happy - onion’s scent
compared to hurting the one you love.
Metaphor - referring to the person’s
reflection when one’s eyes are full of tears
- love can distress - destructuve.
Single sentence stanza reflects
person’s desire to remain honest and
keep things simple and realistic.
Tone change from gentle/
honest to threatening.
Link back to the start of the poem -
another reminder that the speaker
disapproves of cliche gifts.
Alliteration of “cute card” and “red
rose”could suggest Duffy’s belief
that it’s overused n love poems.
Another reminder of their
desire to give meaningful gifts.
Even when love is true,
there can be hard
times or danger.
Suggests passion can
get out of control -
darker associations.
Word choice - connotations of
jealousy, distrust and insecurity.
Cynical about love - instead
of promising to last forever,
the relationship will only last
for as long as they work at it.
Short sentence hints that speaker
has become a bit desperate and
worries the gift will not be
accepted and neither will she.
The further you get into
a relationship the more
serious it gets - ending in
marriage.
Casual offer reinforces the idea that
a more honest type of love is more
important and true.
Another reminder that
love can be dangerous
and violent at times.
The knife can destroy
the onion.
Suggests the
possessive side of
love and how it can
lead to tension.
Marriage might restrict a person.
Idea of being constricted.
Themes
*Love
*Relationships
*Violence
Poem is written in free-
verse. The form echoes that
of an onion and the layers
that make it up - rejects
tradition.
Negative aspects of
conventional relationships
can be restrictive to the
individual - but a love that is
true is worth pursuing.
