'Valentine' and 'Stolen', by Carol-Ann Duffy FOR IDEAS ONLY, DO NOT COPYIn 'Valentine' and 'Stolen', Carol-Ann Duffy uses a metaphor extended that helps the reader relate to what the poet is trying to convey and understand what the narrator's feelings are. Both poems also focus on the thoughts and emotions of the "speaker", both are structured as conversational pieces, meaning you could simply use it to talk to someone and imagine the reactions of the person they are talking to. Duffy also never reveals the gender or identity of any of the people. In "Valentine" he uses an onion to explain love, going from how it's really romantic to how it's lethal. "It's a moon wrapped in brown paper" for an example. Duffy used the moon because it is almost always associated with romance in movies and films. The “brown paper” is the skin of the onion, which means he is being careful to mention all aspects of the onion and the fact that it is a moon. gift, because, traditionally, gifts are wrapped. In 'Stealing', Duffy uses a snowman to describe the thief's emotions, relating to how both of them are cold inside. “A companion/with a mind as cold as a slice of ice/in my brain.”The thief thinks the snowman is right for them, because the snowman reflects what he thinks of himself. It means that the thief feels numb and cold inside, that he can't feel anything, or thinks he can't, as is demonstrated later in the poem. Both poems are conversations, albeit with different people. “Valentine” is for the other half of the speaker, who is anonymous to the reader. The "Steal" boy seems to talk to everyone he thinks will listen. “Valentine” and “Steal” both have tones that change throughout the poem. For example, "Valentine" begins by saying that love is happy, that it is is great and it seems that the first part of the poem should be read with a slightly romantic tone, but it reveals more about the poet's feelings as we learn about his relationship and how it is "possessive and faithful". “Possessive” is a word that makes the relationship seem like it traps Duffy, away from the world. Possessiveness is usually a bad thing in a relationship, as it means that the man or woman is too adamant about the other half talking to or spending time with someone else, when "faithful" is something that the Most relationships aspire or make people happy. with their lives because both are faithful.