Valentine 2 : Carol Ann Duffy revisited

I posted about this once before.

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 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 1993

It's too good to stay covered.

Carol Ann Duffy is the freshly minted poet laureate.
First Scot to be chosen.
First woman to be chosen.
First openly gay to be chosen. (There might have been closeted ones)
First poet to be chosen in the 21st Century.

I think "moon" in the poem has taken a darker hue in terms of meaning for me. It is not what is promised. But how she intends to orbit around you, discrete in "brown paper", as you go about your daily musings......