Valentine

• “Not a red rose or a satin heart.”

  • This line rejects the typical symbols of love, such as red roses and satin hearts, which are often used in romantic gestures on Valentine’s Day
  • Duffy’s speaker suggests that love should not be confined to these superficial or material expressions
  • The negative construction of the sentence emphasizes the rebellion against traditional romantic expectations and sets the tone for the unconventional love the poem will explore
• “I give you an onion.

  • The speaker offers an onion as a symbol of love, a choice that contrasts sharply with the traditional gift of a rose
  • The onion can be interpreted as a symbol of layers and complexity, suggesting that love is multifaceted, deeper, and not always beautiful or simple
  • Onions can also make people cry, which hints at the idea that love, like the onion, can cause pain and tears, as well as joy
• “It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.”

  • This metaphor presents the onion as something beautiful, hidden beneath an ordinary or even unattractive exterior
  • The “moon” evokes romantic imagery, symbolizing something luminous and beautiful, while the “brown paper” suggests that love may be hidden or not immediately obvious
  • This line further explores the theme of love being both ordinary and extraordinary, and that true love may not always come in an idealized form
• “Lethal.”

  • The adjective “lethal” refers to the bite of the onion, which causes tears
  • Duffy here emphasizes the painful side of love
  • The idea of love being “lethal” suggests that love can hurt, even though it is still powerful and important
  • It challenges the idea that love is always easy or gentle, instead presenting it as something that can be dangerous or overwhelming
• Free verse

  • The poem is written in free verse, with no regular rhyme scheme or rhythm
  • This reflects the speaker’s desire to break away from traditional romantic conventions—just like how giving an onion instead of a rose goes against clichés
  • The unpredictable structure mirrors the complexity and messiness of real love
• Enjambment

  • Duffy uses enjambment (when lines flow into each other without punctuation) throughout the poem
  • This creates a natural, speech-like rhythm and gives the impression of someone thinking aloud, letting their emotions spill out
  • It makes the tone feel raw and honest, reflecting the complexities of love
• Short Stanzas / Single line Sentences

  • Many of the stanzas are very short, with some lines standing completely on their own (e.g. “Not a red rose or a satin heart.”)
  • These lines hit harder and make the message stand out more clearly, especially when Duffy rejects traditional love symbols or makes shocking statements (e.g. “It will blind you with tears”)
  • It also makes the tone seem more direct and confrontational
• • Carol Ann Duffy is a contemporary British poet who often explores themes of love, identity, gender, and relationships in unconventional ways
  • She was the first female Poet Laureate of the UK (2009–2019), and is known for challenging traditional ideas and giving a voice to those often unheard in poetry
• • In Valentine, Duffy subverts the traditional ideas of romantic love, especially those often seen in commercial celebrations like Valentine’s Day
  • Instead of describing love using clichés such as roses, chocolates, and hearts, she offers the image of an onion—a surprising, honest symbol of love’s complexity
  • This reflects her critical view of materialism and the artificial nature of romantic gestures
• • The poem was published in 1993, a time when gender roles in relationships were being questioned more openly, and women’s voices were gaining more power in literature
  • Duffy, who is openly lesbian, often writes from the perspective of someone who doesn’t conform to traditional expectations of love or relationships, which gives her work a more realistic and inclusive tone