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In this film we’ll focus on two poems on the theme of relationships – the way that people are connected and how they behave towards each other.

We’ll also look at how to discuss and compare poems effectively, by looking at their similarities and differences.

A good place to start with this is to find some of the techniques that poets use.

Symbolism is when a writer uses something like an object or an image, or even a colour, to suggest deeper ideas to readers. Personification is when a writer describes objects or things that are not human, as if they were a person. We can also look at the way poets use adjectives – these are the words that describe nouns – to help make their descriptions more memorable.

Valentine is a poem by Carol Ann Duffy which is about the rejection of the usual Valentine’s Day clichés, and Heart to Heart by Rita Dove is a poem that looks at the limitations of love, and the longing for emotional connection.

If you’re trying to look for similarities between poems, it’s a good idea to look for ideas or quotes within the text that are similar.

In Valentine, Duffy writes “Not a red rose or a satin heart” and Dove begins Heart to Heart with “It’s neither red, nor sweet”.

Both poets use red to symbolize love and both go on to describe negative experiences of love. They reject traditional romance where we, the readers, might expect the colour red to represent a positive experience of love. But the nature of real love is not always sweet. Both Duffy and Dove present love honestly, as a layered and complex experience rather than a blissful fantasy.

Now, let’s look at the differences between the poems.

Look for quotes that really highlight these.

In Valentine, Duffy’s line “Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips” uses personification to show both power and passion. The onion is used by Duffy to show love as powerful and intense. It’s a metaphor for complicated, real love. The adjective “fierce” is used here to convey love as being strong and passionate.

Dove, on the other hand, uses rhythm and repetition to mirror a heartbeat that grows tired over time with the line, “I feel it inside its cage, sounding a dull tattoo: I want, I want”. This emphasises the intensity of the desire felt, making the longing noticeable to the reader.

These examples show how Duffy sees the heart as fierce and alive with passion, whereas Dove shows a love that slowly “dull[s]” over time and through repetition.

We’ve looked at some of the similarities and differences between these two poems. Have a look at both - what other similarities and differences can you see?

Give it a go.