The Love Poem: Key Quotes – A Level English Language and Literature OCR Revision

Duffy opens with the direct line, “I wanna write you a love poem”, instantly establishing a conversational tone that feels personal and intimate.
The phrase, “texture of your skin,” creates an intensely tactile image, showcasing Duffy’s knack for using sensory detail to evoke emotion.

The poet describes the beloved’s voice as “soft as gulls, in its gorgeous depths” which uses simile to draw an unexpected and vivid comparison, highlighting the beauty of the beloved.
Duffy compares love to a “red, red rose”, referencing Robert Burns’s poem and illustrating love’s deep passion and perhaps its vulnerability.

“Turn language into love bite” suggests a more physical, even violent aspect of love, indicating that it isn’t just about gentle or passive affection.
“Make luminous the ugly parts of you” implies that love isn’t blind but instead shines light on flaws, illuminating and accepting them.

The closing lines, “Not a gift. Not a curse. Choice.” succinctly capture Duffy’s exact take on love – it’s neither a blessing nor a burden thrust upon us, but something we actively decide upon and commit to.
The line, “‘If you can be in love, be’“, reciprocates the opening’s directness. The conclusion becomes an offering, advice to embrace love if it’s accessible – underscoring the poem’s undercurrent of pragmatism stirred into its heartfelt sentimentality.

Throughout the poem, Duffy demonstrates an expert skill in manipulating language to fit her needs, with the constant shifts in tone, pace, and form mirroring the complexities and contradictions of love.