Analysis of Ode To The Onion by Pablo Neruda

The Form And Structure

Ode to the Onion by Pablo Neruda is a praise poem that pronounced the qualities and power of onion over human and nature.

It is a poem of 41 lines free verse of 3 unequal stanzas. The stanza 1 tells of the formation, features and availability of onion to all and sundry while in the second stanza, the effect or power of onion over humans was exposed when the poet not only believed it's the most beautiful of things but said in line 32 that the onion "make us cry without hurting us."

The third stanza which happened to be just two lines portrayed the unique quality that differentiated onion from other plants. The poem speaker claimed that onion absorbed all the beautiful fragrances that belonged to the soil.

The Prose Form

In a prose form, "Ode To The Onion" goes thus:

You onion, in form of luminous flask, you were crystal formed layers over layers like petals of a flower in the loamy soil. Even though the miracle happened in the soil, the heap you gave to the soil surface when your stems and sword-like leaves had grown eventually prompted farmers to uproot you for the world to see your "naked transparency". 

Just like an Aphrodite you were double in one. "You, onion clear as a planet and destined to shine," you are regularly found on every poor man's table.

Onion, you are so hypnotizing, you effortlessly make us shed tears; therefore I must confess, you are the most beautiful thing ever seen. You are beautiful than the fluffy beautiful birds, the universe, "platinum goblet, unmoving dance of the snowy anemone', etc. "and the fragrance of the earth lives in your crystalline nature."

[You Might Want To Listen To The Poem: Ode To The Onion By Pablo Neruda]

The Themes

The message of the poem is simple. Uniqueness Beautifies Things; the same way fragrance and composition beauty onion among vegetables. The poet noted it in the last two lines of the poem: "and the fragrance of the earth lives/ in your crystalline nature." Availability and Accessibility are among the messages passed across in the poem "Ode to the Onion" by Pablo Neruda. 

Despite the difference in class and status between the rich and poor, onion is accessible to them all. Other themes in the poem are cultivation, germination, harvest,pain, emotion, etc.

Enunwa Chukwudinma S.

aka samueldpoetry

(the Leo with wings flying)