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How Do you Peel An Onion?

I have a secret no one knows

And inside me it grows and grows

Hidden deep within the core of me

No one is able to see the layers



Unlike an onion my layers do not

Peel away

But they do make you cry

For to journey through an onion

That will not peel

Has been proven to many to be quite an ordeal



The stench reeks for miles around

But an onion never makes a sound

The only way to make your way

To the core

Is to take a long, sharp knife

And slice



Painful as it maybe

It remains to be the only way

So if someday you wish to see

The deep, dark secret growing inside of me

Sharpen your knife and prepare to cry

For the stench of me can be miles wide.

Author's Notes/Comments: 

This poem was inspired by a mix between Edgar Allen Poe and Adam.  I had been reading Poe so I had crazy lines of poetry swirling around in my head.  I typed one to Adam on IM.  He asked if it was a part of one of my poems.  I said no, but it could be.  He said he liked it.  So I made it a poem, and here it is.  It's a little different than my usual, but I like it.  It's fun.  The best part is that it actually is about someone and something of importance.  Who knew?

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last updated 11 October 2010 - 7:59am
©29 March 2004 - 5:26am — dreamylady
21 September 2004 - 3:28am — Andrew McCarthy (not verified)
Andrew McCarthy's picture

Excellent image,I enjoyed this one-- a very excellent bittersweet (though likely more bitter than sweet) piece of work on the whole question of identity. Well written.

1 April 2004 - 5:20pm — vipervenomnu
vipervenomnu's picture

Well, I have to say that I disaggree with this who onion smelling thing. I have absolutely no problem at all cutting up an onion. I do it all the time for my dad when we are making tacos. hahaha, I don't really use a sharp knife. It's a stake knife, but it's all in the technique. I like this poem a lot, mainly because it's one big extended metaphor, which you are excellent at. Also I don't really like the knife. Perhaps you could just peel the onion slowly. Knifes are to abrasive and usually end up chaning the way everything looks. Again, nice job with the change in style. Each poem has a style that fits it best and I think that you are finding them quite well.

29 March 2004 - 5:33pm — Nathaniel Haywood (not verified)
Nathaniel Haywood's picture

This is an interesting one. It is certainly different than your usual, but it's still very good. It seems to roll off your tongue and your mind in an incredible way. I couldn't tell you who it's about but I can definitely relate to it.
Nathaniel