1. Onion
Is it the onion
that makes you cry—
how you need to mince it
very finely to deceive his taste?
Or is it how he excuses himself
from your conjugal room
showing no hint of hunger, only
fatigue as he removes his socks
while your thoughts
drip down your cheeks
with your tears?
Sadness in the kitchen
comes also in layers—
peeled and chopped
into salty salsa.
2. Tomato
Grandpa’s secret
in making fish soup
is to squeeze ripe tomatoes
directly into boiling water
instead of cutting them
with a sharp knife.
The seeds and flesh
sticking to his fingers
he flicks into the mixture
then wipes the sticky juice
on his own bare skin.
I wonder how something
crude could taste so good.
—
Orlando P. Sayman is a graduate of Ateneo de Davao University.
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