by Naomi Shihab Nye
Jul. 4th, 2002 11:53 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
mery-bast.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
greatpoetryThe Traveling Onion
"It is believed that the onion originally came from India. In Egypt it was an object of worship-- why I haven't been able to find out. From Egypt the onion entered Greece and on to Italy, thence into all of Europe."- Better Living Cookbook
When I think how far the onion has traveled
just to enter my stew today, I could kneel and praise
all small forgotten miracles,
crackly paper peeling on the drainboard,
pearly layers in smooth agreement,
the way the knife enters onion
and onion falls apart on the chopping block,
a history revealed.
And I would never scold the onion
for causing tears.
It is right that tears fall
for something small and forgotten.
How at meal, we sit to eat,
commenting on texture of meat or herbal aroma
but never on the translucence of onion,
now limp, now divided,
or it's traditionally honorable career:
For the sake of others,
disappear.
"It is believed that the onion originally came from India. In Egypt it was an object of worship-- why I haven't been able to find out. From Egypt the onion entered Greece and on to Italy, thence into all of Europe."- Better Living Cookbook
When I think how far the onion has traveled
just to enter my stew today, I could kneel and praise
all small forgotten miracles,
crackly paper peeling on the drainboard,
pearly layers in smooth agreement,
the way the knife enters onion
and onion falls apart on the chopping block,
a history revealed.
And I would never scold the onion
for causing tears.
It is right that tears fall
for something small and forgotten.
How at meal, we sit to eat,
commenting on texture of meat or herbal aroma
but never on the translucence of onion,
now limp, now divided,
or it's traditionally honorable career:
For the sake of others,
disappear.
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cool
Date: 2002-07-12 06:40 pm (UTC)Re: cool
Date: 2002-07-13 04:26 pm (UTC)(You have one very adorable baby in your user pic also!)
Re: cool
Date: 2002-07-14 02:18 pm (UTC)And yes, my baby IS adorable. Thanks for noticing!