VALENTINE POETRY ANALYSIS Flashcards
‘Not a red rose or a satin heart’ -
-Rejects the traditional symbols of love that we got from the title.
-The one line stanza emphasises it and beginning with ‘not’ also emphasises it by beginning negatively.
‘I give you an onion’ -
-Surprises the reader as we wouldn’t expect a loved one to hand us a vegetable on valentines day.
-She is saying that an onion is a true symbol of love, not balloons or cards etc.
-We are shocked due to the negative connotations of an onion as they smell badly and do not look nice.
‘It is a moon wrapped in brown paper’
-When we think of a moon we think of romance. It has connotations of light and hope. It compares the onion to the moon as it is identical looking.
-By comparing it to the moon Duffy suggests that an onion is a positive symbol of love.
-Brown paper is ordinary wrapping but it suggests that when you wrap something it is because it is exciting.
-Just as we need the moon to survive on earth Duffy implies that we need love to survive too.
‘It promises light’ -
Promises are expecting, light implies positivity and magic.
‘Like the careful undressing of love’ -
-Talks about the skin of the onion as the first layer of love which is love-making.
-Peeling onion is compared to taking lovers’ clothes off and discusses the love making aspect of romance.
-Word carefully suggests that it requires a lot of attention and they are taking their time. It is a sensual language.
‘Here.’ -
Minor sentence. Telling her lover to take the onion rather than asking. Create a forceful tone.
‘It will blind you with tears like a lover’ -
-Image. Crying so much she cannot see anymore.
-Onions make you cry too with the scent.
-Blinded can also imply that judgement is impaired when in love sometimes cannot see reality.
‘It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief’ -
-Image. Wobbling suggests she is unstable and emphasises how upset she is.
- Photo reminds her of memories but is causing her pain.
-Grief is effective although no one has died the relationship has.
‘I’m trying to be truthful’ -
T alliteration makes it memorable and emphasises the sentence.
-She’s trying to show us the reality of love rather than lying.
Not a cute card or a kissogram’
- structure is repeated.
-Cute is not a meaningful word so it doesn’t make us shocked or wowed at how memorable. - She is downplaying the card and gifts received.
‘Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips’ -
-Fierce has negative connotations as it is strong and brutal/angry.
-Contrasted with gentle word kiss. This emphasises the power that love has.
-Just as a taste of an onion linger in your mouth equally once someone kisses you the memory stays in your head for a long time.
‘Possessive and faithful’ -
Contrasted words.
-Possessive is negative connotations of control, suffocation
-faithful is positive and suggests commitment and wanting to be with someone.
- These words both mean similar things but are both different at the same time. Implies that there is a fine line in love that can be easily crossed.
‘Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring’ -
Platinum is a precious metal.
-She compares the onion’s last loop to the ultimate symbol of love.
-It is a sign of long-term commitment.
-Shrink negative connotations as it narrows something.
-Whilst commitment is wonderful, sometimes it can make you feel trapped (from shrink). It has become controlling as they are expected to be together.
‘Lethal’ -
-Connotations of death and destruction.
-Suggests love can be destructive.
-Implies there are negative consequences to loving someone/commiting to someone.
‘It scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife’ -
-Implies the unpleasant smell will be stuck to you.
-Cling is repeated to emphasise
-w/c of cling is controlling and sticking to something. Negative connotations.
-Knife implies danger.
-Saying that love can be destructive as just as scent will not go away as will the relationship and hurt will not go away.
-Cling to your knife is sinister and hinting at negative sides of love.
