2. What am I? I will “blind you with tears”.
I am a “moon wrapped in brown paper.”
I have “platinum loops”.
What am I?
I will “make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief.”
My “scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife”.

3. Carol Ann Duffy
She wrote poetry from an early age, and was first published at the age of 15. She has since written plays, critical works, and several volumes of poetry.
Her poetry has been the subject of controversy. She follows in the poetic tradition of, for example, Robert Browning, in writing monologues from the point of view of disturbed characters. Duffy often tackles difficult subjects, encouraging the reader to explore alternative points of view.
Duffy’s poetry is often feminist in its themes and approach.
She wrote the poem “Valentine” in It was is written from her own personal experience.

4. What about this?
What do these objects make you think of?
Do they have anything in common?

5. Can you highlight the words which explain how the onion is like love?
Valentine
Not a red rose or a satin heart.
I give you an onion It is a moon wrapped in brown paper It promises light like the careful undressing of love.
Here It will blind you with tears like a lover It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief.
I am trying to be truthful.
Not a cute card or a kissogram.
I give you an onion Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips, possessive and faithful as we are, for as long as we are.
Take it Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring, if you like Lethal Its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife.
Can you highlight the words which explain how the onion is like love?

6. Valentine Not a red rose or a satin heart.
I give you an onion It is a moon wrapped in brown paper It promises light like the careful undressing of love.
Here It will blind you with tears like a lover It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief.
I am trying to be truthful.
Not a cute card or a kissogram.
I give you an onion Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips, possessive and faithful as we are, for as long as we are.
Take it Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring, if you like Lethal Its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife.

7. In pairs discuss the following:
What do you think the poem is about?
Who do you think it’s to?
Have you noticed any language devices? If so, what are they?
3 minutes discussion with a partner.

8. The title of the poem suggests romance/love/commitment/lover.
Written on Valentine’s day (14th February)
A day where gifts are given
Valentine

9. Not a red rose or a satin heart.
The title is juxtaposed with the negativity of the 1st line, which starts with a negative.
Not a red rose or a satin heart.
This statement sounds disapproving.
Shows the deliberate decision to reject more traditional gifts
Sounds like poem starts in the middle of conversation
“satin heart”- Short sentences reflect deliberate, precise actions/statement of fact
Colour red?

10. Short end stopped line sounds humorous in comparison to the ‘red rose’ or ‘satin heart’.
Use of first and second person makes the poem seem personal. She is talking directly to her lover: the recipient of the gift
Onion is the first reference to a metaphor for love, which is extended throughout the poem.
I give you an onion. It is a moon wrapped in brown paper. It promises light like the undressing of love.
Suggests it’s a gift
‘moon’ associated with love songs + sexuality. Said to influence moods and emotions, esp. women.
The onion with its brown outer skin and white flesh is compared to a moon Like love, the unwrapping of the onion (brown outer layer) gives way to a more tender inside. Tender image.
Tender
Peeling layers of an onion – represents gradually getting to know a new lover and also the literal undressing before making love
(committed sexual relationship)
The promise of light could be: romantic moonlight, light touches/gentleness, Light hearted promises and behaviour at the start of a relationship (start of commitment)

11. Scent of onions can people cry
Scent of onions can people cry. Duffy introduces a negative side to love. The onion is an appropriate gift because it causes tears just like a lover can.
Double meaning of word ‘blind’ literal sense of tears from peeling onion, metaphorical sense of love ‘being blind.’
Simile – comparison tears (onion/love – sadness)
Powerful end stopped short line reinforces sense of offering, although more like a direct order.
Change to more negative tone.
Here. It will blind you with tears like a lover. It will make your reflection a wobbling photo of grief.
Are you recognisable to your old self before love?
Love changes you.
Love distorts reality.
“grief’ – negative
“wobble’ - total commitment

12. I am trying to be truthful.
Single end stopped line reinforces the statement.
Alliteration strengthens feeling that love should be honest .

13. Not a cute card or kissogram.
Single line juxtaposes with the line before.
As if ‘cute cards’ or ‘kissograms’ are not truthful.
Confirms Duffy’s intention to provide what she sees as an appropriate symbol of love
Negative again shows the rejection of conventional gifts – cute card – alliteration (ironic)

14. Repetition of line 2 reminds the reader of this ‘gift’ reaffirms intention
I give you an onion. Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips, possessive and faithful as we are, for as long as we are.
Extended metaphor
Sibilance reinforces ‘kissing’ sound creating onomatopoeic effect.
Taste lingers, like love
Words suggest commitment – possessive/faithful lovers
Cynical
Again Duffy is rejecting conventional ideas in an attempt to be “truthful”
Suggests that love is temporary/will not last forever. This goes against traditional romantic ideas (committed bond “till death to us part”) but the scent overwhelming, lasting longer. Maybe suggests that lovers should only stay together for as long as they are passionate. Reinforced by end stopped line.

15. Take it. Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring, if you like.
Another powerful command/imperative short sentence. More direct this time reinforced by end stop (caesura).
Short definite statement. Almost a challenge for the recipient/reader to accept the gift and therefore accept/understand Duffy’s unconventional view
Internal rhyme links sense of concentric rings.
“platinum” – most precious metal
Take it. Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring, if you like.
Onion rings represent wedding rings. The way onion rings get progressively smaller suggests the way commitment is gradually made.
‘shrink’ has negative connotations; suggests a reduction – possibly from something not tarnished ‘platinum’ to reducing love to ‘wedding’. Does it suggest the speaker is cynical to long term commitment. Does she suggest it doesn’t last? Total marital commitment can have it’s problems.
Reinforces negativity. Onus is placed on the listener.
Suggests Duffy doesn’t need/totally agree with the comparison –humouring the reader/recipient by satisfying the need for traditional symbols

16. Lethal. Its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife.
Single end caesura powerful. Implied meaning is that love can be ‘lethal’.
Stark, single word statement. Negative view of commitment? Suggestion that too much commitment can be damaging to love or the relationship?
Love ‘clings’ on. Repetition of cling means scent could refer to bodily scent being strong and physical.
Scents linger – possibly, for longer than the relationship or a this relationship will be difficult to escape?
Lethal. Its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife.
Cross rhyme connects this repetition.
Ambiguous ending – implies threat. Kitchen knife may become weapon for a jealous lover.
The permanence of this could be seen as positive. Love stays but the image of an onion smell lingering is unpleasant and to end with the word “knife” is disturbing.
Love/relationships can be damaged by being too “clingy”?

17. Theme of commitment/loyalty/love
Relationships should be honest and couples should be committed to each other
Duffy refuses to accept relationships as simply ‘romantic’. More to commitment?
Committed relationships are emotionally complex.
One should be cautious in love (line 17) as commitment can change and be damaging.

18. What does Duffy think is wrong with these gifts?
“Not a red rose or a satin heart.”
“Not a cute card or a kissogram.”
“I am trying to be truthful.”
What does Duffy think is wrong with these gifts?

19. “Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips, possessive and faithful”
Quote
What does it suggest about love and commitment?
Choose a word or poetic device and explain why it has been used.
What is the effect on the reader? What does it make us think or feel?
“Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips, possessive and faithful”

20. Why does Carol Ann Duffy use an onion to symbolise love?
In her poem ‘Valentine’, Carol Ann Duffy gives her love an ______. She feels this is a better gift than a traditional _______ or _________ because __________ . One way that she suggests an onion symbolises her love is… The word, “_______” implies that she thinks love is… Another example of how an onion is like love is… Here she makes the reader feel…

21. Valentine Stanza 1 Theme Stanza 2 Structure Stanza 3 Stanza 4 Narrator
Title of Valentine suggests:
Link to commitment
Shows realistic love and the ups and downs that commitment brings.
‘ Promises light’=personification=hopeful stage of commitment.
Layers of onion as different stages.
Link to marriage.
Repetition of ‘cling’ highlights feelings of desperation.
Last word of ‘knife’ suggests the wound commitment can bring or leave.
Negative start with ‘not’ and rejection of traditional gifts.
Stanza 1
Theme
Onion: extended metaphor, unconventional gift.
and the changing nature of relationships.
Brown paper=outer layer.
Stanza 2
Free verse-no rhyme or pattern.
Moon: romantic images, promises light. Metaphor.
Structure
Irregular stanzas, some only one line.
Stanza 3
Valentine
Simile/ personification: ‘…blind you with tears like a lover‘. The onion is compared to a lover and the way love often leaves us in tears.
Form=form of onion and different layers.
Stanza 4
First person ‘I’
Narrator
Repetition of ‘not’=same as stanza 1. Syllables=9 in both.
Stanza 6
Man or woman?
‘Platinum’=precious metal=ironic, as onion is not precious.
Oxymoron of ‘fierce kiss’ suggests the unnaturalness of the kiss.
Tone
Romantic-negative love-jealous-violent.
Stanza 7
Metaphor: The loops of the onion are compared to a wedding ring that ‘shrink’ which implies being trapped.
The poem is an extended metaphor about how the unromantic properties of the onion fits the notion of love. Each stanza also shows the different phases of love, how it begins with all the best intentions yet gradually deteriorates into misunderstandings and violence.
Alliteration
Cute card
Red rose
Clichéd Valentines suggests overuse in other love poems.