Valentine - Carol Ann Duffy

And which one would make your ideal
Valentine's Day gift ... ??

By a bizarre coincidence, I taught this poem to some of my students this week just gone. I love the imagery and ideas going on, not to mention the poet's own very unique take on what might be considered "romantic". The perfect solution for those of us who hate the crass commercialism of Valentine's Day...

Read, reflect and relish. 

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.

When the postman don't call on Valentine's Day...

... Guess which 80s pop crooner sung those lyrics?

Well it's almost Valentine's Day, innit?? And as you can no doubt tell, I've been off the blogging radar for some considerable time ... again. Seems to be a regular occurence nowadays. My job and other stuff has been taking predecence. I'll come clean and admit that, again, I've toyed with packing in this blogging malarkey - I just ain't had the time, energy or inclination to write anything. Sowwie.

But NO. I WON'T go. I WILL not be defeated! I'm sure I can continue to manage at least ONE post a month (wooohooo!) Thankfully it's now Half Term and I'm not teaching next week so already I have some more time on my hands - yeeeehaaaa.

Anyway post-Brazil trip things have been pretty much as normal. Dear God, I'm now desperately trying to think of something interesting to write and .... can't!! Well ... my day-to-day existence might have been quite mundane of late but I can still write about other stuff, can't I? You know, TV, Music, Movies .... that kind of thing.

Happy Valentine's weekend. Any romantic plans, anyone?

OC x