Iphigene here.
When Myra asked me to post for today, Neruda’s Ode to the Onion came to mind. It fit perfectly into our theme of Food. When I first read Neruda’s Ode I was amazed at how beautiful he described such every day things.
Just to add a little zest into this post, I created a simple layout in presenting this little Ode to the Onion. Hope you enjoy it!
Thanks to Random Noodling for hosting today’s Poetry Friday.
Since we’re talking about food and poetry, while reading some of the contributions for Poetry Friday I read this post from Author Amok (Laura Shovan) : In Residence: Open House that will make any one crave for some food. Those third graders do know how to get you hungry with a crunch crunch.
Gathering Books 
Thanks for linking, Iphigene. You’ve reminded me to share Neruda’s “Ode to Tomatoes” with one of my third graders. Neruda’s odes have a tumbling rhythm, as if he couldn’t get the words of praise out quickly enough. My favorite line in this one is “round rose of water, upon the table of the poor.”
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You are welcome. Enjoyed reading the kids poems. Oh, i was just thinking that Neruda’s odes are a wonderful thing to share to children especially in poetry class. It might also be a fun exercise to write odes for simple everyday things. 🙂
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I didn’t know Neruda was such a foodie! I love the line “round rose of water.” The whole poem is filled with delightful lines.
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Hi. He is. He even has an ode to the tomato and others. you should look it up. It’s such a delightful read.
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Neruda’s odes make us treasure those everyday things, don’t they? Love the way he takes each part & glories in it: “your belly grew round with dew”. Thanks, Iphigene!
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It does, Linda. And that’s why i love his collection of odes. When i was a young aspiring poet his odes opened my eyes on how poetry isn’t limited to the abstract or the big things, but it can be in the little things.
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“You make us cry without hurting us.” Beautiful. I like the image you chose, also.
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Ah…that’s one line that’s so beautiful. It makes me sometimes think if we were really talking about an onion or something else. 🙂
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I love it! The onion certainly deserves an ode. So many luscious words and sounds: “heavenly globe, platinum goblet.”
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Neruda is a master of capturing the details and the beauty of things…I keep thinking we should let students do this in poetry class…write about the simple and mundane and celebrate them.
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Rarely does a week go by when we don’t use an onion in our cooking! Such an essential ingredient for life — the SPICE of life!
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It is. It’s almost in everything we eat….and i’m glad Neruda as written one whole poem just on this wonderful ingredient.
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Wonderful! 😀
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It is, isn’t it. Love Neruda’s odes.
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Love those “every day odes”! You leave each of them with your mouth watering, yearning for the object of praise.
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Hi Tara,
Indeed. Neruda’s collection of ode to things was one of those books that made me realize how poetry isn’t limited to the abstract, that in the simple everyday things there is something to praise.
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