THE 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 its traditionally honorable career:
For the sake of others,
disappear.
-Naomi Shihab Nye
Gladsome Lights 
Praise God for all small, simple things. Like an onion. Love this.
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Amen!
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Love this poem! I shared it with my 8th graders last year. It was wonderful for talking about layers of meaning!
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The Egyptians were right to worship onions and cats. What would we do without them?
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I used to think I didn’t like onions. And I still don’t like them raw. But what a great food…
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When I saw the title I thought it was about the traveling onions that are real onions you plant and they seem to travel in the soil! I just read an article about it and a friend who has them says next year she will give me one to plant. We’ll see if I manage not to kill it. Meanwhile, I find this poem charming!
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Those sound worth researching, Jeanie!
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How lovely to find a poem about onions! Thank you for sharing this one – I love the painting too.
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I looked a long time for that painting. I’m glad you liked it, too ❤
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