Atencio, L. C.

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SWOSU Digital Commons (Southwestern Oklahoma State University)

Volume 31Issue 1 Fall/Winter Article 2811-15-2015Peeling the Grief Until the Onion is NoneL. C. AtencioFollow this and additional works at: https://dc.swosu.edu/westviewPart of the Fiction Commons, Nonfiction Commons, Photography Commons, and the PoetryCommonsThis Poetry is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals atSWOSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Westviewby an authorized administrator of SWOSU Digital Commons. For moreinformation, please contact phillip.fitzsimmons@swosu.edu.Recommended CitationAtencio, L. C. (2015) "Peeling the Grief Until the Onion is None," Westview: Vol. 31 : Iss. 1 , Article 28.Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/westview/vol31/iss1/28Peeling the Grief Until the Onion is Noneby L.C. AtencioL e g e n d  h as it that tw o  m y th ic  c re a tu re s , w h ic h  fo rg e d  the earth  th e m se lv e s , p a y  o n e  a v is it  w h e n  o n e  p e e ls  an  o n io n .T h e y  are  tw o : th e  th re e -w in g e d  e a g lec o m e s  fro m  the n o rth e a ste rn  h e m isp h e rea n d  b r in g s  h a lf  o f  a sp ir it  c lu tc h e d  in its c la w s ;the  other, th e  fo u r-le g g e d  se rp e n t, sp r in g sw ith o u t  s lith e r in g  fro m  the  so u th w e ste rn  h e m isp h e re ,b r in g in g  o v e r th u s the  o th e r h a lf  o f  the  sp iritin its v e n o m o u s  fan gs.M yth  h as it that w h e n  o n e  p e e ls  an  o n io n , the se rp e n t a n d  the  e a g le , fo r o n ly  th is  o c c a s io n , c o m e  to g e th e r a n d  jo in  th e  sp ir it  in to  o n e .T h e y  c o m e  fro m  o p p o s ite s  to m a k e  th e  sp ir it  d is c o n c e rte d ; a n d  the re fo re  so o n  su rp rise d  u p o n  th e  v is it  th e y  are  p a y in g .O n c e  g a th e re d  together, th e  e n e m ie s  o f lo re  b e g u ile , sc re e c h , a n d  h iss  at e a ch  o th e r w ith  m a n ia c  h u n g e r  as the  sp irit, o n c e  fu ll, s lip s  into  th e  h o u se  th ro u g h  the  o p e n in g  o f a w in d o w  sash a n d  c o m e s  to the re la tive  o r fr ie n d , a n d  re m a in s  at h is  o r h er sid e .66 WestviwA t e n c io  P e e l i n g  t h e  G r i e fT h e  c y c le  re p eats itse lf  w ith  that sa m e  o n e  sp irit  as m a n y  t im e s  as an  o n io n  h a s layers, a n d  the  cu tte r c r ie s  t im e  a n d  t im e  a g a in  fo r w h a t he  k n o w s , a n d  fo r w h a t  he  d o e sn 't.A t  th e  last v is it , th e  sp ir it  k isse sthe  h a n d  o f the cu tte r as g e n t ly  as the tears tu m b leu p o n  it in fra g m e n ts  lik e  s n o w fla k e s , m elte d .T h e  sp ir it  w a v e s  g o o d b y e  fro m  th e  w in d o w  as it parts fro m  the  re la t iv e  o r fr ie n d , b u t a ls o  as it p arts fro m  itse lf in to  tw o .H a lf  o f th e  g r ie f  a s c e n d s  w ith  the  e a g le . A n d  h a lf  d e s c e n d s  w ith  the se rp en t.B y  n o w , o n e  h a s h e a le da n d  a c c e p ts  the utter a n d  a b so lu te  p a s s in g  o f so m e o n e .H e a le d , not b y  the o n io n  o r its p h y s ic a l effect,C u re d  in ste a d  o n e  is b y  that last k iss the so u l la id  u p o n  o n e 's  h a n d ,fo r s u c h  a h a n d  cu t  the  o n io n  s lo w ly  a n d  co m m itte d ly .For o n e  w o rk e d  to w e e p  a n d  to eat a n d  to live .V O L U M E  31,  N U M B E R  1 67

Peeling the Grief Until the Onion is None

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Peeling the Grief Until the Onion is None

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