Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Valentine" by Carol Ann Duffy is a unique and thought-provoking poem that challenges traditional notions of romance and the clichés often associated with Valentine's Day. Rather than offering conventional symbols of love like red roses or heart-shaped gifts, Duffy presents an onion as a metaphor for love in its most honest, raw form.

The poem begins with a rejection of stereotypical romantic gifts: "Not a red rose or a satin heart." This opening line sets the tone for a poem that seeks to redefine love in more complex and realistic terms. Duffy chooses the onion as an unexpected symbol because of its layers and intensity, characteristics that she parallels with the layers and complexities of love.

She describes the onion as "a moon wrapped in brown paper," which suggests something precious and luminous hidden within a plain exterior. This image evokes the idea of discovering the depth and beauty in a partner over time, peeling away layers to reveal their essence. The onion "promises light like the careful undressing of love," further enhancing this metaphor of unfolding layers to find brightness and truth at the core of a relationship.

However, the poem also acknowledges that love can be painful and difficult, as reflected in the lines, "It will blind you with tears / like a lover." Here, Duffy captures the dual nature of love—its ability to bring both joy and sorrow. The onion causes tears not out of sadness but as a natural reaction to its intensity, just as true love can elicit deep emotions and vulnerabilities.

"I am trying to be truthful," Duffy writes, emphasizing her commitment to presenting a realistic view of love, devoid of embellishment or idealization. This line serves as a pivot in the poem, reinforcing the sincerity behind the gift of an onion and the honest, albeit unconventional, expression of love.

The poem continues with the idea that the onion's "fierce kiss will stay on your lips, possessive and faithful / as we are, for as long as we are." The taste of the onion is enduring, like the lasting impact of deep, genuine love on one's life. This comparison suggests a relationship that is steadfast and loyal, albeit potentially overwhelming and consuming.

Duffy then plays with the traditional symbol of commitment—the wedding ring—by likening the onion’s concentric circles to "platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring, if you like." This imagery suggests a willingness to commit, symbolized through the transformation of the onion into a permanent, valuable emblem of their bond.

The final lines, "Lethal. / Its scent will cling to your fingers, / cling to your knife," serve as a poignant reminder of love’s lasting impact. The word "lethal" might suggest the dangers of love, how it can figuratively kill old parts of ourselves, transform us, or bind us forever. The scent that lingers on the fingers and knife symbolizes how love, like the smell of an onion, can be pervasive and hard to remove, affecting how we interact with the world and ourselves.

Overall, "Valentine" by Carol Ann Duffy is a powerful reimagining of romantic love that combines tenderness with brutal honesty. Through the extended metaphor of the onion, Duffy explores the multifaceted nature of love, emphasizing its potential for depth, transformation, and endurance. This poem invites readers to reconsider their perceptions of love and the symbols we use to represent it, advocating for a more nuanced, truthful understanding of what it means to love someone.

POEM TEXT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LfPEvgEym1hHzFJ4ACnwJTXllkVxtvQwo7RiYV9w5c0/edit

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