poetry - valentine Flashcards
“Not a red rose or a satin heart”
the isolation and bluntness of the opening line emphasises the strength of the speaker’s rejection of traditional gifts
“Not…”
the positioning of this word at the start of the line intensifies the speaker’s rejection of traditional symbols of love
“an onion”
given the mundane connotations of “an onion”, the incongruity of it as a symbol for love
“moon” “wrapped in brown paper”
the subversion of “moon” as a traditional romantic image as it is mundanely described as “wrapped in brown paper”
“moon”
traditionally associated with romantic evenings
“promises”
suggests devotion/commitment/fidelity
“light”
suggests something pure and life-enhancing
“undressing”
suggests something seductive and sensual
“blind you with tears/like a lover”
the development of the extended imagine in this quote highlights the pain and suffering that love brings
“wobbling photo of grief”
imagery suggests the pain/distress caused by a failed/complex relationship
“Not a cute card or a kissogram”
- the single line stanza is an abrupt dismissal of more stereotypical love tokens/ a straightforward, no nonsense approach
- the alliteration this quote also suggests contempt for predictable / insincere / unthinking view of love
“fierce kiss”
image to suggest the lingering taste of the onion suggests the difficulty of escaping the relationship/ an underlying threat or danger in the relationship
“possessive”
word choice suggests the constricting / controlling nature of the relationship
“possessive and faithful”
juxtaposition undermines the notion of commitment in a relationship
“for as long as we are”
the bluntness and positioning of this quote at the end of the verse suggests the impermanence of love
