Valentine Flashcards
Not a red rose or a satin heart
Rejects traditional commercialised tropes of Valentine’s Day
Onion
Mundane common and cheap makes you cry
I give you
Direct address from leaves reader shocked
It is a moon
Similar shape to onion
it promises light
suggests sexual awakening of speaker.
light has positive connotations reflects happiness at the start of relationships but then flakes off the skin of.
careful undressing of life
suggests excitement delicate nature of love, peeling the onion layers like taking off clothes.
here.
direct request to take gift. as if the erson is reluctant to take it, forceful tone
blind you with tears
inability to see, loss of power in relationship. Possibly tears from cutting the onion or from toxic relationship
like a lover
simile- lovers source of pain not happiness.
will
it is un
wobbling
greif
powerful ending to stanza makes clear the lodd that love can cause, suggests that love makes you vulnerable
trying to be truthful word choice
alliteration links in a memorable way speaker can’t guarantee honesty.
trying to be truthful- structure
single lined stanza, emphasises theme of honesty, speaker finds it difficult to be truthful or lover doesnt want to hear the truth
not a cute card or a kissogram-
structure
one lined stanza repeats. idea from stanza 1 of rejecting conventional romantic objects
not a cute card or a kissogram- word choice
mice words with negative connotations harsh “c” sounds suggests dismissive ideas. love is replaced with performance.
i give you an onion
repetition, trying to convince the lover to take the gift, ideas of rejection
fierce kiss- imagery
personification suggests reated that the onions kiss is not a feeling of love, unpleasant lingering unwanted love
fierce kiss- word choice
real kiss is described as fiery and passionate with word fierce, suggests the lingering nature of love and possession
possessive and faithful
impossible to be both
Contrasting depictions of love suggests that there can be two sides to the experience of love. Positives vs negatives.
as we are word choice
repetition shows relationship is committed noe, not thinking of the future. relationship is not guaranteed
as we are- enjambent
suggests relationship didn’t last forever
take it
he has to force it upon the lover because they are unsure how to respond and reluctant to take the ‘gift’. Accepting the gift means harsh truth of relationship
platinum
colour of loops like an onion precious metal
loops shrink
metaphor, ultimate symbol of life, commitment, constructing marriage feeling trapped in an unfulfilling situation
lethal - word choice
associated with killing or harm. deadliness of relationships . not just physically. drain life or happiness from you.
lethal- structure
one word sentence. abruptness of the line shows how much violence can be caused by love.
will cling - word choice
possessive side of the relationship
not letting go or leave
will cling- structure
repetition, reinforces scent of onion, suggest physical intimacy. could also represent smothering and manipulation, lack of escape.
your knife.
Violent, suggesting how the love can be dangerous. and has the ability to cut and wound someone threatening tone. ‘Your’ suggests the ending was mutual responsibility not
fully on the speaker.
the knife can destroy the onion.
