Valentine Flashcards
“Not a red rose of a satin heart”
Word choice of “Not” begins the poem on a negative reflecting how the speaker deliberately rejects these conventional ideas of what love should be instead to dictate her own ideas of love to her partner.
“I give you an onion”
A short sentence is used to show the deliberate and controlled statement of a fact that she is giving this gift. The speaker appears well composed and eager for this gift to be accepted.
The use of both first and second person also makes the poem seem more personal as if it is two lovers attempting to communicate something in their relationship
“it is a moon wrapped in brown paper”
Metaphor that conveys how the speaker compares an onion to the moon as it has a white fleshy inner layer and rough skin. The image created by brown paper is one of a rough exterior that perhaps reflects the difficult beginning stages of relationships as both parties get to know one another better. However the fleshy inner layers reflect the joy that can come from a successful relationship
“It promises light”
The word choice of “light” could refer to the happiness that can be found in the relationship or also the optimistic promises that are made at the beginning of relationships that often will not hold true.
“Like the careful undressing of love”
This simile refers to gradually getting to know a lover and continues to build on the comparison of love to an onion. The word choice of “careful” highlights the cation that must be taken when getting to know someone and refers to how as we peel back each layer of an onion more is revealed relating to how as we get to know someone they reveal more information about themselves. This also refers to the literal undressing before making love
“Here”
A short sentence that emphasises the speaker’s eagerness for the gift of the onion to be accepted by her partner. We clearly sense that the speakers partner is hesitant to accept these unconventional ideas about what love should be as they see love perhaps in a more traditional sense and cannot see the speaker eye to eye on this matter.
“It will blind you with tears like a lover”
This simile compares the ability of an onion to make you cry to the ability of a lover to do the same. The word choice of “It will” reaffirms the certainty in the mind of the speaker that the relationship will cause both members to cry eventually. Here ideas of the negative side of love are explored by the speaker as she seeks to look at love in a more realistic way.
“I am trying to be truthfull”
The word choice of “trying” conveys how the speaker does not intend to cause harm however is merely seeking to be realistic and shows her deliberate refusal to accept the societal view of relationships all ending happily. The reader senses that her partner is hurt and confused by the speakers ideas that the relationship will inevitably end badly.
“Not a cute card or a kissogram”
The negative opening of the sentence again reflects the speakers deliberate rejection of these conventional ideas about what love should be the use of these short statements also reflects the speakers confidence and conviction in the comparison that she is making and her beliefs about the misleading societal expectations of what love should be
“I give you an onion” pt 2
Repetition reaffirms the gift of the onion to the speaker’s partner suggesting that the onion still has not been taken.
“Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips possessive and faithfull”
Sibilance here conveys the sound of a kiss and the deliberate oxymoron of possessive and faithful reflect how aspects of love such as faith to your partner can quickly be misconstrued to become more damaging such as being possessive
Word choice of “fierce” is rather disturbing and reflects the intensity of emotions involved in relationships and the inherent danger of relationships themselves for those that are unprepared mentally for the consequences of a relationship turning sour.
“As we are, for as long as we are”
Word choice of “for as long as we are” conveys the speaker’s stance being completely at odds with the expectations of society as she expects that the relationship will at some point come to an end. She describes the relationship as being finite which directly contrasts with the delusions of society about relationships lasting eternally. Again driving home the fact that the speaker is rejecting these conventional ideas of society about what it means to be in love instead to seek the truth of the matter.
“Take it”
Short definite statement reaffirms the idea of the gift of the onion and the commanding tone used by the speaker appears almost forceful, the reader realises that the speaker’s partner no longer wishes to accept the gift of the onion and the speaker grows more desperate for the onion and by extension her ideas about what love means to be accepted by her partner.
“Its platinum loops shrink into wedding rings if you like”
Continues the extended metaphor comparing love and relationships to an onion and also the word choice of “Shrink” has deliberate negative connotations suggesting that is restrictive to the speaker and that it can cause people’s horizons to be limited. Emphasize the speaker’s hesitancy towards the ideas of love and relationships. The way that the onion rings shrink smaller and smaller reflects how commitments are gradually made in the relationships which can limit the freedoms of people in the marriage
Word choice of “If you like” conveys that the speaker does not wish for marriage however would be willing to marry if that was what her partner wanted. Showing again her unconventional ideas about what love truly is and suggesting that the institution of marriage is not necessary for a relationship to succeed. However the willingness to marry suggests that the speaker is attempting now to be nonchalant about their stance to expose their previous quite forward stance to the matter. We sense that their tactics are not working and their partner still rejects their ideas about what love should be and so the speaker is beginning to become desperate and changes tactics
“Lethal”
Single word sentence emphasis the view of the speaker that love and commitment to others can become dangerous, and shifts again towards the speakers unconventional more negative outlook on what love can become.
