Forgotten like an onion

          This poem by Naomi Shihab Nye is not only just about an onion but is figurative to the beauty of life. The author contemplates the importance and beauty of the onion and the fact that it is often overlooked and forgotten." In the lines throughout the poem Nye is describing the onion and indicating the fact that she holds great respect for this particular vegetable.The onion, the central object in this poem, is both a representative of the unnoticed. Many of us eat onions on a regular basis in some form but rarely, if ever, think about or consider them in any real depth. It adds flavor and a kick to various foods, such as casserole, but unless it's an onion dish, most people probably don't pay attention to the onion. Nye says, "How at meal, we sit to eat, commenting on texture of meat or herbal aroma but never on the translucence of onion."  Here, she openly acknowledges the fact that while other foods receive the benefit of compliments and recognization, the onion is not discussed.Yes, the onion may be small and forgotten, but so are the disabled, so are the sick. The onion, as well as being unnoticed itself, might also be a representative of other unnoticed things. So, why should any of this matter to you? It matters to you, and to me, because all of us, at one time or another, have experienced the pain of going unnoticed or unappreciated by those around us.