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An onion on the floor
by Kristina Woodhillan old house
under renovation
old friends
an invitation
a night of
getting to know you
again
and an onion on the floor
comfy chairs
a sitting room
a wooden table
the dining room
all praying out loud
making sure God heard
and an onion on the floor
we slept in bags
in the cool night air
we slept in bags
at the head of the stairs
'twas a surreal place
where there were no cares
and an onion on the floor
the kitchen
open, big
and wide
the hearts
of our friends
that same
big size
and an onion on the floor
toe nudged
left
toe nudged
right
there
in the morning
there
that night
that onion on the floor
we left
with smiles
and I have to say
itÂ’s a pretty
fine home
where an onion
can stay
a rollinÂ’ around
all night and all day
an onion on the floor
09/12/2006
Author's Note: Many years have passed since we stayed with friends one night. The house was big and old, pretty neat. We helped fix dinner in the big kitchen and I noticed a nice round onion under the edge of the cupboard on the floor. Sometimes it’s just kind of interesting to resist that urge to meddle in the flow of a household and I just left it there wondering if someone would pick it up or not. It was there on the floor for our whole visit – kind of moving here and there along the under edge of the cupboard as toes would casually touch it now and then. This was not a messy kitchen with food everywhere – that was the only item out of place. I had never sat down to dinner with a family who, when they prayed, all prayed at the same time, out loud. It was surreal. We all slept in sleeping bags here and there in the house, some of us nestled in at the top of the stairs landing. It was a place out of the ordinary and I’m glad for the memory.
Posted on 09/15/2006
Copyright © 2026 Kristina Woodhill
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Chris Sorrenti on 09/15/06 at 04:30 PM LOL! Real life...family, friends, food. Can't beat it!! |
| Posted by Charles E Minshall on 09/17/06 at 04:51 AM Sounds like a fun timr Kris. Nicely done...Charlie |
| Posted by Joan Serratelli on 09/19/06 at 12:17 PM Wonderful story, filled with loving memories. I could see it all unfold. It's funny how something as silly as an onion on the floor made for such a pleasant night of friendship. Excellent write- very enjoyable story. |
| Posted by Quentin S Clingerman on 09/19/06 at 01:50 PM A wonderfu depiction of a warm and welcoming home! The repititon of "an onion on the floor" was an effective symbol of the comfort level of the visit! Great writing. |
| Posted by Maria Terezia Ferencz on 09/22/06 at 10:33 PM so comfortably poetic, reality warm, I loved this. |
| Posted by Philip F De Pinto on 12/11/06 at 02:09 PM thank the lord for onions, purlple, yellow, green, the entire spectrum of their species. and thank the lord as well, whilst we peel, for making us doing other than weeping, but alloting as well their stay, to take their rightful place.,with all the other minions of guests and at the very heart of this tale, it registred in me a gladness. |
| Posted by Susan Q Tomas on 08/13/07 at 05:30 PM God I want this. This is wonderful! |
| Posted by Don Matley on 09/08/07 at 04:04 PM it is nice to see an onion can make us laugh as well as cry. Very entertaining. Thanks. |
| Posted by Michael Faraday on 09/19/08 at 02:42 AM Great visuals here. cheers, m |
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