Valentine Flashcards
“Not a red rose or a satin heart”
Disappointing, challenges traditional norms and the readers expectations
“I give you an Onion”
Confusion, beginning of extended metaphor
“It is a moon wrapped in brown paper”
Metaphor to romance and love, moonlight is seen as romantic, brown paper is simple and doesn’t hide behind bright colours or bows it is seen for what it truly is and it does not lie
“It promises light”
Purity, devotion
“Like the gentle careful undressing of love”
Tenderness means they care, sensual and romantic
“Here”
The poet is bold and directly addressing the other as if giving a command
“Blind you with tears like a lover”
The Onion makes us cry just as relationships do, it also suggests that we are blinded by love regardless of how we cry, we fail to see the others flaws
“It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief”
White colour of the Onion reflects us suggesting the poet is crying whilst looking in the mirror, love distorts their self image
“I am trying to be truthful”
Love should be honest, she seeks truth in her relationship…tries to justify her previous feelings..further implies the rejection of traditional love
“Not a cute card or a kissogram’
Illiteration implies the gifts are not sciencer like the poets feelings…she thinks they are fake
“It’s ferice kiss will stay on your lips”
Anger and passion mix together in this stanza, the lingering taste of the Onion stays on her lips empathising the difficulty of escaping the memory
“Possesive and faithful”
Highlights the two different sides of the poem, possessive is constricting and controlling which shows us the dark side of the poem
“For as long as we are”
Love does not last, poet has a bad image of love
“Take it”
Gradually she becomes more commanding the other may be reluctant to accept her gift
“Loops shrink to a wedding ring”
Never ending commitment shows the restrictions in marriage, shrink means it is uncomfortable
“Lethal”
Story becomes even darker making a dark conclusion, unrequited love is fatal and deadly
“It’s scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife”
Poem ends with an implied darkness, cannot be harmed by anyone but the people close to you, people close have the power to do the most damage…poet has been rejected and so it turns into anger
