Saturday 12 June 2010

Love, Carol Ann Duffy Style

Christopher Plummer said that working with Julie Andrews was like being hit on the head with a Valentine's Card. Now, that's not even a back handed compliment is it?

Anyway, I was reading some Carol Ann Duffy earlier, and I thought I would share her poem Valentine. Julie Andrews could ne'er hope to be so complex...

I might have it read at my wedding.



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 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.

2 comments:

  1. I could try that with my wife, but I think that I'd get a hit in return. (She's not a big fan of onion.)

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  2. Yeah I guess that wouldn't go down well with me in reality, but as a notion I like it :-) How is Mrs Picklesworth these days? Master Picklesworth must be due very soon?

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