My Box and Valentine Essay Example

My Box and Valentine Paper My Box by Gillian Clarke is a poem about a box a lover produces himself for his lover. The box symbolises the couples relationship and memories as in my box are twelve black books, where I have written down how we have sanded, oiled and planed The box symbolises the memories and the joyous day they shared together. Although the lover has made the box, it has been created by emotions, feeling and love. The box becomes the romantic image within the poem. In this box are stored memories of the couples relationship. At the end of each stanza, the poet refers to a golden tree. This golden tree plays a significant part in the poem, as it reflects the solidness of their relationship. The tree represents the building and growing up of a beautiful relationship having the branches representing the ups and downs of their time together. Valentine on the other hand, has a far stranger meaning of love than My Box. We will write a custom essay sample on My Box and Valentine specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on My Box and Valentine specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on My Box and Valentine specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The title tells you that the poem is a valentine a gift of love but straight away the poem makes it clear that it is not an ordinary type of valentine not a red rose or a satin heart, rejecting conventional presents, as she gives an onion. It seems rather strange that someone would give their lover such a worthless gift. However, when we realise what the onion symbolises, we understand that it actually is the perfect gift. The poet uses an extended metaphor. She writes about her relationship as if it was an onion. For example It is a moon wrapped in brown paper. It promises light This reminds us of the papery, brown skin of an onion, and the moist, shimmery moonlight glow of an onion when it is freshly peeled. Love is often associated with moonlit night, so this is a romantic statement. The onion is wrapped in brown paper, suggesting that her love is pure and simple; therefore the onion can say all she wants to say to her lover. It is interesting that where other poets might talk about their feelings for a lover using symbols, this poet uses a symbol to talk about her love. A brown paper wrapping has to be removed. So does the onion skin. When the different layers of the onion are revealed they are like the careful undressing of love, that is, the discoveries that love brings. In My Box, however, a similar picture is drawn, as the golden tree takes time to grow, it has to be nurtured, fed and looked after just like the relationship. Carol Ann Duffy makes you more aware of the poem by using an unusual image- it makes you curious therefore it persuades you to carry on reading. The poem shows how normal valentine gifts do not necessarily have to show you love someone. That is why she uses an onion to prove her point. She argues that an onion is a good symbol of the relationship she has with her partner. My box is more rural referring to harvested apples, gold crests and rare red kites, where as Valentine uses simple words and language. Both poems portray a picture of how the present symbolises love- both in a positive and romantic attitude. My box is made of golden oak, is the first line to My Box she tells us how her box is made of oak which is solid wood, suggesting the stability and strength of her own relationship. Valentine explains how an onion is a moon wrapped in brown paper and how it promises light, like the careful undressing of love. The poet creates a sexual yet delicate image in these lines sexual by the word undressing, yet delicate created by the word in front of it careful. In the first stanza of My Box, the poet stresses how beautifully the box has been made how the lover fitted hinges and a lock of brass and a bright key. She explains how he made it out of winter nights, sanded, oiled and planed, this box making it seem as though it took a long time to make it, and creates the box to be very precious to the woman. In the second stanza, she discusses some of the things they have achieved throughout long years of their relationship. She has written this all down in her twelve black books and keeps this in the box. In the last stanza, the woman wants her lover and/or people after her to come and read all of this- I leave it there for you to read or them when we are dead, e.g. good relationships, golden trees are slowly made in other words they dont come easily but have to be nurtured and worked out. Both poems explain how love is everlasting the golden tree represents the purity and value of love and the onion represents how you have to peel each layer of your lover to reveal a layer of them. The poet adds a note of caution too much commitment could kill off their relationship- Lethal. The vocabulary used in My Box is connected to nature- nature representing their love and feelings, where as Valentine uses words describing the onion, or words that are connected with love to the onion. The language and vocabulary is very simple perhaps to suggest that she wants a simple, uncomplicated love. She makes statements I give you an onion it will blind you with tears. They make the poet sound definite and authoritive. Carol Ann Duffy gives you the message that an onion is more than a soppy card or a cute teddy. My Box on the other hand is more conventional and explains how in my box are twelve black books- how we have sanded, oiled and planed the relationship. Gillian Clarke places her words in threes sanded, oiled and planed seen jays and gold crests, rare red kites harvested apples and words and days. The repeated structure of and emphasises what is going on. It is important to notice the spaces between the stanzas in Valentine. For example it is interesting that I am trying to be truthful is a statement on its own, (to emphasis how vital truth is in a relationship) but is followed by not a cute card or a kissogram. The second pause allows us to reflect that cute cards and kissograms (more usual valentine gifts) dont really reflect true love. In My Box, the beats in a line are regular- 8,6,8,6 etc, as are the lines. This suggests that she wanted her poem to be solid like her golden tree. Carol Ann Duffy uses a lot of I/you structure in Valentine. The I is the speaker and the you is the recipient of the onion. This allows Carol Ann Duffy to construct something like a one-sided dialogue. In My Box, Gillian Clarke also uses I, but she also uses we- referring to the couple, not just an individual. If we think of the metaphors for Valentines Day; the roses, satin hearts, and cute cards, it is clear to us by now that Carol Ann Duffs intention is to eliminate the pretty image of Valentines Day to make people realise that love is serious. Take it. Line 18 tells us that you have not taken the onion yet. The second offer of the onion takes us to the final stanza, where more metaphors are found. Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring. The poet used platinum taking a deliberately unromantic view. The speaker goes for the plainer look metal, but one of worth. The ring inspired by the onion is offered with if you like. The person to whom the whole onion is given to is offered the choice. There is no promise of hearts and roses. Lethal. Usually this word is linked with danger and deadly, yet it is used in the poem. The speaker cautions the recipient- that too much commitment could lead to the breaking off of their relationship. Most of the poem sounds as if the lines are natural and spontaneous, being written as the words came to her because there is no rhyme in the poem. However, some of the sounds are carefully arranged. Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips. The s sounds may suggest a couple kissing. I give you an onion is repeated it reinforces that it not a joke, that she is giving this person an onion and really means it. The poem does not have a regular beat or form as My Box. The lines and stanzas are of irregular length. This could be to give a sense of urgency, or that because traditional poems are often written very regular and may even rhyme, her decision not to confirm to this stereotype is further proof that her love goes beyond the ordinary, and so is that much more special. The tone of the poem is sad and negative, warning her lover not to get too close, yet realistic, but encouraging and warm. My Box has a warm and encouraging tone to it it is gentle and tender.

Rien - Idiomatic French Expressions

Rien - Idiomatic French Expressions The French pronoun rien usually means nothing, and is also used in many expressions. Learn how to say for no reason, not a chance, worthless, and more with this list of expressions with rien. Possible Meanings of Rien nothinganythinglove (tennis)nil, zero (sports) le rien - nothingnessun rien - a mere nothingdes riens - trivia Expressions with Rien (faire qqchose) comme un rien(to do something) with no trouble, like nothing at allun coup pour riena free gode rienyoure welcomedeux fois riennext to nothingjamais rien / As-tu jamais rien vu de plus bizarre  ?anything / Have you ever seen anything stranger?ne ___ en rien / Il ne ressemble en rien son pà ¨re.not at all, nothing like / He looks nothing like his father.ne... riennothing___ ne risque rien___ will be okay, nothing can happen to ___pour rienfor nothing, for a songpour un rienfor no reason, at the drop of a hatrien dà ©clarer ( la douane)nothing to declare (at customs)rien signalernothing to reportrien voirnothing to do withrien au mondenothing in the worldrien dautrenothing elseun rien dea splash, touch, hint of somethingrien de gravenothing seriousrien de moinsnothing lessrien de neufnothing newrien de plusnothing else, nothing morerien de plus facile(theres) nothing easier, nothing could be simplerrien de plus, rien de moinsnothing more or lessrien de rien (inf ormal)absolutely nothingrien de tel quenothing likerien du toutnothing at allrien partout (sports)nil all, love allrien queonlyrien que à §a (ironic)thats all, no lessrien qui vaillenothing useful, nothing worthwhile___ sinon rien___ or nothingtrois fois riennext to nothingcomprendre rien riento not have a cluenavoir rien voir avec/dansto have nothing to do withnavoir rien contre (quelquun)to have nothing against (someone)navoir rien de (quelquun)to having nothing in common with (someone)nà ªtre riento be a nobody/nothing, to be worthlessÇa ne compte pour rien dansThat has nothing to do withÇa ne fait rien.It doesnt matter, Never mind. Ça ne me dit rienI dont feel like itÇa ne risque pas !Not a chance!Ça ne vaut rienIts worthless, its no goodÇa ne veut dire rienThat doesnt mean a thingCela na rien voir avec...That has nothing to do with...Cela na rien dimpossible.That is perfectly possible.Cela ne rime rienThat makes no senseCe que tu fais ou rien !Dont bother!Cest à §a ou rienTake it or leave itCest mieux que rienIts better than nothingCest rien de le dire. (informal)Thats an understatement.Cest tout ou rien.Its all or nothing.Cest un(e) rien du toutHe (She) is a nobody, no goodCe nest pas rien.Its not nothing, Its no picnic.Ce nest rien.Its nothing, Never mind.Cà ©tait un coup pour rien.It was all for nothing.Il nen est rien.Its nothing like that, Thats not it at all.Il ny a rien faireTheres nothing we can do, Its hopelessJe nai rien dire surI have nothing to say about, I cant complain aboutJe ny peux rienTheres nothing I can do about it.Je ny suis pour rienIve got nothing to do with it. On na rien pour rienEverything has a price.Qui ne risque rien na rien (proverb)Nothing ventured, nothing gainedRien faire !Its no good!Rien ne dit que ...Theres nothing to say that ...Rien ne va plusNo more betsRien ny faitNothing is any goodTu nas rien dire !Youre in no position to comment! You cant complain!La và ©rità ©, rien que la và ©rità ©.The truth and nothing but the truth.Y a-t-il rien de plus ___ ?Is there anything more ____?