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“Valentine” Introduction
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“Valentine” is a free verse poem written by Scottish poet, author, and playwright Carol Ann Duffy. The speaker presents their lover with a valentine in the form of an onion, then explains the reasoning behind this unusual gift. In doing so, the speaker critiques traditional, idealized images of love and argues for more complete and honest portrayals of its effects. Like much of Duffy’s work, this poem employs plain, straightforward language and uses the dramatic monologue mode to amplify a perspective that is usually sidelined from mainstream discourse. “Valentine” was first published in Duffy’s 1993 poetry collection, Mean Time.
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“Valentine” Summary
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The speaker rejects traditional Valentine's Day gifts like a red rose or something heart-shaped and made of satin.
Instead, the speaker presents their lover with an onion. The onion is like a shining moon veiled in plain brown paper. Its light will beam forth as it is unwrapped, mimicking the process of a lover thoughtfully shedding barriers to intimacy.
The speaker urges their lover to take the onion. The speaker warns that it will make the recipient tear up so dramatically that it will be impossible to see, much like a lover might do. The onion will also cause the recipient to see themselves as unsteady and distressed.
The speaker is trying to tell the truth about the effects of love.
As a result, the speaker renounces cutesy gifts like a greeting card or a kissogram (a humorous telegram in which the messenger kisses the recipient).
The speaker reiterates that they are giving their lover an onion. According to the speaker, its sharp smell and taste will linger on their lover's lips, matching the intensity of their all-consuming devotion to one another—for as long as that devotion lasts.
Again, the speaker urges their lover to take the onion. The speaker claims that its rings will grow smaller and smaller until it fits the lover's finger, acting as a wedding ring—if the lover would like it to, that is.
The onion is deadly. Its potent, persistent scent will grip the recipient’s fingers and knife.
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“Valentine” Themes
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The Nature of Love
The speaker of the poem forgoes traditional Valentine’s Day gifts like a box of chocolates or a dozen roses and instead presents their lover with an onion. Over the course of “Valentine,” the speaker justifies this decision by describing aspects of the onion that reflect the true nature of love. The speaker explicitly rejects shallow, glossy representations of love and takes care to reveal the shortcomings of societal expectations for romantic and sexual relationships. In doing so, the speaker argues that mainstream portrayals of love are dishonest, and then attempts to correct them.
The speaker repeatedly calls out common symbols of love and deems them inaccurate. The poem opens with “Not a red rose or a satin heart,” in reference to the most iconic gifts associated with Valentine’s Day. By opening with this negative statement, the speaker immediately establishes that the valentine of the poem’s title is not a traditional, sugarcoated gift.
Similarly, line 12 reads, “Not a cute card or kissogram.” Thus, the speaker lists several cutesy and romantic items typically associated with love and bluntly rejects them as inappropriate symbols for their own love. Twice, the speaker plainly states, “I give you an onion.” In a refusal of conventional wisdom, the speaker chooses a banal vegetable over a mass-manufactured product or cheesy gesture. The speaker claims that the onion is an attempt “to be truthful,” indicating that customary, commercial gifts would falsely represent their love.
Through the detailed discussion of the onion’s attributes, the speaker also suggests that social norms for romantic relationships are misleading in a more general sense. For example, while the onion “promises light,” presumably due to its pale color, that light will ultimately “blind [the lover] with tears,” in the same way that the smell of onions makes people tear up. Plus, the reflection that it casts back will be distorted or “wobbly.”
While the reference to light initially associates the speaker’s romantic relationship with truth and clarity, its positive connotations sour as it is revealed to be a disorienting and destabilizing force within the poem. Later, references to marriage begin promising as well, with descriptors like “faithful” and “platinum.” But there is a rapid shift to language that denotes restriction and violence, such as the image of “shrinking” rings and that of a knife, as well as the forceful declaration, “Lethal.”
By recasting positive imagery around marriage in a negative light, the speaker illustrates that while conventional relationship dynamics might appear attractive on the surface, they are often challenging to live with. Furthermore, this violent language, in addition to forceful terms like “fierce,” calls into question the tenderness suggested earlier by “the careful undressing of love.” Similarly, the speaker characterizes their bond as lasting with words like “stay” and “cling.” However, the speaker introduces uncertainty with the phrases “for as long as we are” and “if you like.” Again, the speaker calls attention to the ever-changing, enigmatic nature of love, which will always contain both positive and negative attributes.
Therefore, the speaker explicitly rebukes oversimplified commercial representations of love and subtly reveals the failings of conventional formulas for romantic and sexual relationships. In doing so, the speaker resists the idealization and whitewashing of love, advocating for an alternative model that provides a more honest and complete account of love’s complexities.
Where this theme appears in the poem:- Lines 1-23
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Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “Valentine”
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Lines 1-2
Not a red ...
... you an onion.“Valentine” opens with the speaker’s explicit rejection of typical Valentine’s Day fodder. The speaker chooses to call out hearts and roses, drawing from a pool of the most iconic, universal symbols of love. As a result, other symbols and related images begin to form in the reader’s head—candles, chocolates, wedding vows, The Bachelor franchise, and so on. As the speaker refutes them throughout the poem, these images will come to represent overly romanticized, fraudulent narratives about love. The speaker sets up this symbolism in this initial remark, even as the alliteration of "red rose" is guttural, almost like a growl, and lends the line a harsh tone.
The speaker then juxtaposes this clichéd representation of love with a much less sentimental image:
I give you an onion.
The stanza break that separates lines 1 and 2 reflects the distance between how love is presented and the speaker’s reality. The end-stops that punctuate these opening statements make the speaker come across as direct and confident. The speaker resists the flowery language usually associated with love poems, greeting cards, etc.
And by introducing the onion as an alternative to cheesy representations of love, the speaker sets up the poem’s overarching conceit: an onion as the proper symbol for love.
Finally, line 2 introduces apostrophe, as it becomes clear that the speaker is addressing a silent party. This silent party is the speaker's lover. Apostrophe increases the authenticity of the speaker because the speaker is shown interacting with someone important to them. Therefore, it also heightens the poem’s emotional stakes.
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Lines 3-5
It is a ...
... undressing of love.
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Lines 6-10
Here. ...
... photo of grief. -
Lines 11-13
I am trying ...
... you an onion. -
Lines 14-17
Its fierce kiss ...
... as we are. -
Lines 18-20
Take it. ...
... if you like. -
Lines 21-23
Lethal. ...
... to your knife.
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“Valentine” Symbols
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Classic Valentine's Day Gifts
The traditional Valentine's Day gifts that the speaker lists out represent shallow, commercialized, and, in the speaker's mind, dishonest representations of love. More specifically, glossy and cutesy gifts—like red roses, satin hearts, and kissograms—project an idealized image of love that conceals all its messy, destructive parts.
These objects are "cute" and pretty, nice to look at for a moment. And yet, the speaker insists, they have nothing to do with the reality of love—something that's dark, dangerous, and messy.
Where this symbol appears in the poem:- Line 1: “a red rose or a satin heart”
- Line 12: “a cute card or a kissogram”
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“Valentine” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language
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Apostrophe
Apostrophe is an important part of "Valentine," as the speaker spends the whole poem directly addressing their unseen beloved.
This use of apostrophe makes the poem feel more urgent and intimate, like readers are getting a peek into a private, delicate conversation. Apostrophe also heightens the poem’s stakes, creating tension and anticipation. To that end, apostrophe places the reader in the middle of the speaker’s relationship—the reader effectively becomes the object of the monologue.
Finally, apostrophe gives rise to remarks that expose the speaker’s true temperament. For example, the speaker opens every multi-line stanza by urging their lover to accept the gift of an onion. Stanzas 2 and 6 begin with “I give you an onion,” while stanza 3 begins with “Here” (as in, Here, accept it). The speaker opens the final stanza with the poem's most assertive command: “Take it.”
The directives that the speaker gives the lover cast the poem in a faintly pushy, confrontational light. Consequently, readers might find the speaker aggressive or assume that the speaker is more dominant within this relationship.
Where apostrophe appears in the poem:- Line 2
- Lines 6-10
- Lines 13-20
- Lines 22-23
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Consonance
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End-Stopped Line
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Juxtaposition
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Metaphor
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Personification
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Repetition
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Simile
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“Valentine” Vocabulary
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
- Satin
- Kissogram
- Possessive
- Lethal
Satin-
(Location in poem: Line 1: “satin”)
A soft, shiny woven fabric, usually made from silk fibers. Satin is a common material for wedding dresses as well as Valentine's Day gifts like boxes, ribbons, and lingerie.
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Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Valentine”
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Form
This poem does not follow an established poetic form or consistent stanzaic structure. Instead, the number of lines varies from one stanza to the next, following this pattern:
- Monostich (one-line stanza)
- Quatrain (four-line stanza)
- Cinquain (five-line stanza)
- Monostich
- Monostich
- Cinquain
- Tercet (three-line stanza)
- Tercet (three-line stanza)
Although the poem's lines are relatively short overall, they contain anywhere from one to 10 syllables. The dramatic variance in line and stanza length reflect the ever-changing, tempestuous love that the speaker describes. Furthermore, the poem's short lines and stanzas are comprised of similarly brief sentences and words, resulting in a choppy rhythm. The terseness of the speaker's language and cadence is consistent with a broader rejection of overly flowery, romanticized descriptions of love.
The poem's three one-line stanzas visually and structurally stand apart from the surrounding text, drawing the reader's attention. In line 11, the speaker says, "I am trying to be truthful." This line succinctly encapsulates much of the poem's mission—to portray love with radical honesty and accuracy. In the poem's two other one-line stanzas, the speaker denounces conventional, glossy representations of love: "Not a red rose or a satin heart," and "Not a cute card or a kissogram." Thus, the speaker uses these single lines to hammer home the poem's message.
The poem's multi-line stanzas follow their own structure. The speaker opens each by brusquely encouraging the reader to accept the onion. The speaker's plea is then followed by statements that begin with "It" and characterize what the onion is expected to do. The speaker's formula isn't too precise, but it does add a degree of organization and consistency to the monologue, grounding readers as they navigate its erratic rhythms.
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Meter
While this poem does not have an overarching meter—it is written in free verse—it still has some clear rhythmic patterns that are crucial to its atmosphere. The very short words, sentences, and lines that make up this poem generally result in a terse, choppy cadence. Plus, the unpredictability of its rhythms creates a lively, tumultuous mood to match the love that the speaker describes.
In a few places, the poem’s variation of stressed and unstressed syllables amplifies other sonic effects. Here is a closer look at line 1:
Not a red rose or a satin heart.
The stresses that fall on “red rose” draw attention to alliterative /r/ sounds, which are also picked up in “or” and “heart.” The repetition of these sounds creates a growling effect, giving the speaker’s monologue an aggressive feel from its outset. Moreover, the stress that "Not" receives drives home the speaker's rejection of cheesy, conventional representations of love.
Elsewhere, metrical patterns briefly repeat, giving the poem a muted rhythmic undercurrent that allows momentum to build. This offers a touch of consistency to the otherwise highly erratic meter. The most prolific example of this effect results from amphibrachs, a poetic foot that follows an unstressed-stressed-unstressed pattern. The poem’s refrain, which appears in lines 2 and 13, is made up of two such feet:
I give you | an onion.
Additionally, there is a natural, brief pause between the two feet, subtly exaggerating the repetition. Line 15 follows the same pattern:
possessive | and faithful.
Furthermore, lines 4, 10, 19, and 22 each begin with an amphibrach, a poetic foot with an unstressed-stressed-unstressed beat pattern:
It promis- | es light
And:
a wobbling | photo of grief
Once more:
Its platinum | loops shrink to a wedding ring
and finally,
Its scent will | cling to your fingers
The repetition of this mellow, rising and falling pattern creates a slight sense of stability, which allows readers to gain their footing within the poem’s rhythms, albeit on shaky ground.
Sometimes, the poem breaks from meter to create impact. For example, line 5 contains three anapests (unstressed-unstressed-stressed), while line 6 consists of only one syllable:
like the care- | ful undres- | sing of love.
Here.
The standalone "Here" emphatically contrasts with the looping meter of the line before it. It plays up the speaker’s insistence and authority.
Similarly, the repetition of the dactylic phrase “cling to your” in lines 22-23 creates momentum that drives towards the poem’s conclusion:
Its scent will | cling to your | fingers,
cling to your | knife.This final line receives additional emphasis not only due to repetition, but also due to the singled stressed syllable at the end of it. The word "knife" draws attention to itself because it contrasts with the stresses of "fingers." The cutting rhythm of "knife" highlights the brutal, dangerous side of love.
Therefore, the poem’s lack of conventional meter, and its strategic placement of repetitive rhythms, mirrors the speaker's candid account of love.
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Rhyme Scheme
"Valentine" contains very little rhyme, which is consistent with its overall intense, tempestuous atmosphere. Obvious rhymes—especially perfect and end rhymes—tend to give verse a lighthearted musicality. Accordingly, the rhymes that do appear in this poem are almost exclusively slant or internal rhymes. Generally, they call attention to important images and ideas.
For example, in lines 6-7, there is a slant rhyme between "here" and "tears":
Here.
It will blind you with tears.Both of these words receive metrical stress, placing additional emphasis on the speaker’s assertiveness and the onion’s ability to cause sorrow.
In lines 14-15, slant rhyme links the onion’s “kiss” with the recipient’s “lips” and the onion’s “possessive” disposition:
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
possessive and faithfulIn doing so, the speaker illustrates the relationship between these words and creates a strong, unified image.
There are also several rhymes in the poem’s final two stanzas, particularly among words that contain the /ing/ sound, as well as between “like” and “knife”:
Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding ring,
if you like.Lethal.
Its scent will cling to your fingers,
cling to your knife.These strings of rhymes put additional force behind the poem’s conclusion, especially as each rhyme occurs on a stressed syllable. The rhymes also provide a sense of completion as the monologue draws to a close. Again, because these are mostly slant rhymes, they provide emphasis without creating an overly sugary sound.
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“Valentine” Speaker
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Very little information is revealed about the speaker over the course of the poem. The speaker remains nameless, ageless, and genderless. All readers know is that this person has a rather distinct perspective on romance. On the one hand, the speaker rejects traditional sentimentality. At the same time, the speaker’s claim of “trying to be truthful” suggests a certain earnestness or tenderness when it comes to expressing love for their partner.
Overall, the reader comes away with the understanding that the speaker is someone who finds love incredibly powerful and is therefore committed to expressing it honestly. At the same time, the absence of biographical details allows readers of all backgrounds to connect to the poem's message.
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“Valentine” Setting
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The poem doesn't have a clear setting, though its title and imagery suggest that it takes place on Valentine’s Day. Beyond that, there's nothing to clue readers into where this gift exchange is happening—over a candlelit dinner, a romantic picnic, or on a bench during a lunch break. Perhaps it only happens in the speaker's mind.
Whatever the case, the vagueness of the setting keeps the reader's focus on the speaker—and, of course, on the onion.
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Literary and Historical Context of “Valentine”
Literary Context
While Carol Ann Duffy has written plays, librettos, children’s books, and more, she is best known for her poetry. Duffy often inhabits and amplifies the voices of people who are usually shut out from mainstream discourse in her writing (see “Education for Leisure” and “Warming Her Pearls”).
The speaker of “Valentine” explicitly rejects traditional representations of love and presents an alternative through an elaborate conceit that compares love to an onion. Other poets, particularly from the Renaissance, have also used conceits to depict love unconventionally. For instance, in the poem "The Flea," John Donne uses the image of his and his lover's blood mixing in the belly of a flea as a conceit for erotic love. Relatedly, in Shakespeare's "Sonnet 130," the speaker argues that his mistress doesn't fulfill any of the traditional expectations of beauty—yet he loves her anyway.
Duffy's penchant for humor and plain language are qualities she shares with the Liverpool Poets, a group of writers in the 1960s who wanted to make poetry more accessible. Duffy lived with a key figure of the movement, painter and poet Adrian Henri, for about a decade during her formative teenage and young adult years (through the 1970s and into the early 80s). His influence can be seen in her wit, references to pop culture, and representations of everyday people, language, and subject matter.
Finally, this poem originally appeared in Duffy’s 1993 poetry collection, Mean Time, which marked a shift in her work to more open discussions of queer love. More broadly, “Valentine” can be seen as part of a wider effort in poetry to more accurately reflect real people’s experiences, including people who identify as queer.
Historical Context
"Valentine" was published in the 1990s. In the decade before this, unemployment and poverty had skyrocketed. As a result, there was a rise in neoliberalism, a political ideology that emphasizes individual rights and freedoms, and advocates for a laissez-faire or “hands-off” approach to the free market. In the UK, where Duffy lives, Margaret Thatcher ushered this ideology into mainstream politics and culture—a movement known as Thatcherism (the British counterpart to Reaganomics in the United States).
While many members of society’s upper classes were able to attain new levels of wealth and prosperity, poverty and unemployment continued to rise during much of Thatcher’s tenure. As a result, entrepreneurship and consumerism were fetishized, even as inequality swelled. Thus, this poem’s insistence that mass-produced goods don't reflect people’s real experiences can be seen as a reaction to this inequality and commercialism.
Furthermore, Thatcherism saw a resurgence of Victorian-era values, particularly moral conservatism. The nuclear family—a married man and woman with children—was emphasized as the building block for an upstanding society. As a result, anti-LGBT+ sentiment was on the rise, especially as the AIDS crisis ramped up.
Duffy, who identifies as a lesbian, began to write more openly about queer love around this time. In this context, “Valentine” can partly be seen as a form of resistance to the demonization of the queer community, an attempt to make space for more diverse understandings of love.
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More “Valentine” Resources
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External Resources
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Carol Ann Duffy Reads "Valentine" and More — Listen to the author read and briefly discuss the poem at the Poetry on the Lake poetry festival [1:22-3:19].
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Profile of Carol Ann Duffy — An in-depth profile of Duffy from 2002, including interview questions and details of her biographical and literary history.
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Guardian Books Podcast: Carol Ann Duffy's Love Poems for Valentine's Day — A 38-minute podcast episode in which the author reads and discusses many of her own love poems, including "Valentine," with a live audience [3:35-6:02].
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Biography of Carol Ann Duffy — An overview of the author's life and work from the Poetry Foundation.
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What is Thatcherism? — A brief, straightforward overview of Thatcherism from the BBC.
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Remembering the '80s — A lighthearted but insightful piece in which about a dozen individuals (mostly from media industries) discuss their experience of Thatcher's Britain.
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LitCharts on Other Poems by Carol Ann Duffy
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