Question

1.Find words in the poem to go under these headings:romantic,unromantic.
romantic:red rose,...
unromantic:onion,...
2.Which of these words would you use to describe the poet's attitude towards her lover?
honest,direct,aggressive,cruel,possessive,faithful,jealous,angry,cynical,sarcastic,passionate,unfaithful
How do you think her lover responds to her gift?How would you respond to it?

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.
-Carol Ann Duffy

Answer 1

1. Romantic: red rose, love, satin heart, cute card, kissogram, kiss, wedding ring
Unromantic: onion, tears, tears, wobbling photo of grief, lethal, knife.
2. Honest, direct, possessive, faithful
3. The lover might be overwhelmed by the directness of those words and feel uncomfortable because of the gift itself. Or she might find it light-hearted and be thankful for the sincerity. Either way, I am not sure how I feel about such candidness. but I would take everything in a serious manner.

Succes.