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Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy ?

2. Imagery
The best example of an extended metaphor in the poem would be "I give you an onion". This valentine present is very unusual but when you analyse this quote the onion represents her love and nature of her relationship. 
"Its platinum hoops shrink to wedding rings". An example of the poet extending the metaphor throughout the poem. The concentric rings of an onion link to wedding rings. The word shrink could also have the meaning of their love being less valuable and the relationship ending. This could also link to the to the word having the connotations of the couple going to see a psychiatrist about their relationship, implying that they are having problems.
Jack

3. Imagery
"It will blind you with tears". This has a double meaning in this poem. It could mean the love making both lovers cry or it could have connotations of the onion making the recover cry, as onions do. This could also be implying that love is blind?
More evidence for the extended metaphor on the onion would be "its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife." This could mean that even if the relationship were to end, the thought of being together will still linger in the back of your mind, just like the smell of an onion would after you have been chopping it or handling it.
Jack

4. Imagery
"Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips will stay on your lips." The poet here is linking the taste of an onion with a kiss, which is unusual because when you bite into a raw onion you experience a bitter strong taste, that a lot of people would not like but this contrasts with a passionate kiss.
"It is a moon wrapped in brown paper." This is the poet comparing the onion to the moon, the moon is wrapped within the brown paper being the outer layering of the onion. It is also said that the moon can govern a women's passion. |
Or not to Love?
To Love?
Jack

5. Imagery
The "satin hearts", "red roses" and "cute cards" are not acceptable to Duffy as these gifts seem to be given out too many times.  
"Not a red rose or a satin heart"
"Not a cute card or a kissogram"
"blind you with tears, like a lover" saying that love can be beautiful yet painful and upsetting. 

6. Word Choice Not a red rose or a satin heart
By starting with the word not, which is negative it puts a negative feel on the poem which is contrasted with the fact that it is a poem about love
both of these are gifts that are normally thought of as ideal gifts on valientines day, but by giving an onion, this shows that more thought has been put into the present rather than getting something sappy.
The rose that is red, the is often thought of as a romantic gift, but the colour of red has been chosen on purpose because it ties in with the colour of blood, which is then continued as she goes to tslk about the satin heart.
Whereas roses or hearts are thought of ideal gifts on valentines day, but by goving an onion, this shows that more thought has been put into the prestent rather than getting something sappy.

7. I give you an onion,
mentioning that she is simply "giving" an onion tells us that she maybe is not doing it with much enthusiasm which is unusual if you are trying to win someones heart
whereas most people experience joy or happieness on valentines after recieving a gift, chances are after recieving the onion all you would do is cry, which is of course a contrast, rather, you would be in tears from the chemicals or from tears of laughter.

8. It is a moon wrapped in brown paper
"wrapped in brown paper" is another wording for gift wrap and simply tells us that it is sent as a present, but the fact that it is just brown gift wrap also shows us that she did not go to amazing measures to present it, rather than wrapping it in colourful paper, this continues the idea that her view of love is simple.
The brown wrapping also refernces to the wrapping around the onion, i think rather than saying this it would have been better to talk of one of the purply/red onions, as you could further link this into the idea of love, blood and other themes of valentines day.

9. Comparing the moon to the onion this tells us that the moon is comlpete like the onion, telling us that it is a full moon, which is often used or referenced in romanic movies, novels or suchlike.
"It promises light" suggest that by using the word promises that the poet is changing her idea about the relationship, which shows that her feelings are in flux and that she is confused or uncertain.

10. "a wobbling photo of greif"
"Here"
 This is quick and instant showing us that in the process of getting rid of it she does not care, but also suggests that she may be getting rid of it so fast because she is embarresed, or maybe because she has been in a situation like this before.
This is an oxymoron as it shows an image that has been captured and frozen in time, and contrasts it with something that is wobbling, this shows uncertainty on belhalf of the gift giver.