Imagery in 'Valentine'

Not a red rose or a satin heart "red" & "satin" : Color imagery, symbolizes the lust and love "rose" & "heart" : 'Cliche' for love, contrast to onion a moon wrapped in brown paper "moon" : creates romantic mood in the poem "brown paper" : juxtaposition, symbolizes the mixed feelings and opinions that Duffy has for love "wrapped" : romantic moon, smothered by the dull encasing of a paper bag It promises light "light" : positive imagery, contradicts the brown paper careful undressing of love "careful undressing" : shows that love is delicate "undressing of love" : love has lots of layers

your reflection a wobbling photo of grief Blind you with tears "blind you with tears" : positive and negative imagery as could mean with happiness or with sadness - pain that love can bring your reflection a wobbling photo of grief "your reflection" : personal to the reader. "reflection" = nostalgia "photo of grief" : creates the image in the mind of the reader, makes them feel as if they were there, feeling the grief "wobbling" : could represent the instability on their relationship

Note a cute card or a kissogram "cute card" & "kissogram" : 'cliche' of love, links to first line. sterotypical an onion "an onion" : reoccurring imagery, represents love negatively (according to Duffy) its fierce kiss "fierce" : a contrast to kiss, violent connotations of love

Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring "shrink to a wedding ring" : negative connotations of marriage "platinum loops" : colour imagery - token of commitment (links with 'wedding ring' Its scent will cling to your fingers "scent" : olfactory imagery (smell imagery) "cling" negative, possessive, desperate, symbolises how love can 'haunt' someone cling to your knife "knife" : violent imagery, is a warning to those reading the poem that love can be dangerous - suggest a heartbreak can't be destroyed