Valentine Flashcards
Not a red rose or a satin heart.
“Not” - This negative adverb renforces regertion of romantic symbols (for example, heart shaped cards and valentines merchandising)
The first stanza is a signle line emphising the regection of conventional symbols of love
I give you an onion.
Duffy introduces what she sees as a more fitting symbol of love
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper
Functional, it down plays the romance, it is a realistic vieo of love
“moon” - The moon is suppost to rule womens passions
It promises light
Refers to the idelistic joy and hope that new relationships bring
like the careful undressing of love
The removal of the layers oof onion skin is a metaphor for the lovers taking off their clothes as a result of sexual attraction
Here.
The tone becoms insistant and comanding
It will blind you with tears
like a lover.
The acidic smell of the onion is compares to the actions of lovers, over time, who make you cry
“blind” - The bitterness of love like the bitterness if an onion
“you” - The second person shows that it is inevitable that we will feel these these things
It will make your reflection
a wobbling photo of grief
You dont recodnise yourself in the mirror
I am trying to be truthul.
Not a cute card ir a kissogram.
“I am trying to be truthul” - The honesty of the person is engaging
“kissogram” - Aperson hired to deliver a special message and a kiss to someone
The two signle lined stanzas reflect the opening line, reminding us that conventional signs of love are thoughtless and worth nothing
I give you an onion.
The repition leads into the terring point about possessioness
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
The imagery is more violent and is telling us about jeloucey and over possetion (which kill love)
possessive and faithul
“possessive” - Possessive has connotations of jelocey
“faithful” - Faithful has connotations of loyalty
as we are,
for as long as we are.
The parallel structure suggests the passing by (transience) of passion, how quickly it is lost
Take it.
This is an issistant tone
Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring,
Marage is constricting (confining, restricting). The wedding is the end of the first existing phase, and then your trapped
