A poetry assignment inspired by this poem by Carol Ann Duffy.
Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy
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 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.
Think of the topic of love and I am fairly certain that an onion would not spring to mind. Roses or flowers, but not an onion!
The task is to sum up a girl or boyfriend by appealing to unlikely comparisons… if she were a biscuit, she’d be a custard cream, if she were a boat she’d be a yacht.
Create a love poem of weird and wonderful images.
Or, do like Duffy does and offer your loved one an unusual token of your love and draw comparisons to break the cliches.
