1. Valentine
By Carol Ann Duffy

6. The poem, on the surface is about giving an unusual present for Valentine’s day, but it is really an exploration of love and the nature of relationships between two people.
It has a single central image which is developed throughout the poem. The onion is an extended metaphor for love!
What is the poem about?

7. Valentine Not a red rose or a satin heart. I give you an onion
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.
Valentine’s day associated with love, relationships & gifts
Starts with a
negative. Rejection of traditional gifts
Onion: extended metaphor, unconventional gift
Moon: popular romantic images, promise light
brown paper = outer layer
undressing = revealing of love
Annotating the poem