Valentine, from Mean Time (1993).
“
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...
I am trying to be truthful.
— Carol Ann Duffy
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "
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...
I am trying to be truthful.
" in the context of "Valentine, from Mean Time (1993)." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Carol Ann Duffy" (Quotes)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Carol Ann Duffy
Carol Ann Duffy, CBE (born 23 December 1955) is a Scottish poet, playwright, freelance writer and current Poet Laureate, the first woman to hold that title.
About Carol Ann Duffy
Carol Ann Duffy, CBE (born 23 December 1955) is a Scottish poet, playwright, freelance writer and current Poet Laureate, the first woman to hold that title.
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