LULLABY OF THE ONION song lyrics
by Joel Sattler

based on the poem "Nanas de la Cebolla" by Miguel Hernández

the onion is frost
closed in the frost
poor in the frost
of your days and my nights
the onion and hunger
onion black ice
frost big and round and white

asleep in the cradle of hunger he lay
my little child my little child
on the blood of onions he suckled that day
my little child my little child
but your blood was frosted with sweet
sweet sugar and hunger so deep

a dark haired woman shaped like the moon
thread by thread spilled over the cradle
laugh my child drink up the moon
drink up the moon if you're able

laugh laugh the lark of my house
keep on laughing my girl
the smile in your eyes
the smile in your eyes
in your eyes is the light of the world
laugh so much out of control
that when they hear you
space beats in my soul

and laugh to make me free
and sing your laughter laughter gives me wings
relieves me of my solitude
and tears away imprisoning
the mouth that flies heart on your lips
a flash of lightning rips

your laughter laughter is the most
victorious of swords the host
and conqueror of flowers mark
the conqueror of larks
the rival of the sun above
the future of my bones and love

his skin atremble eyelids move
the child is redder red than ever
the finches gold they rise and flapping
from his body gently napping

I woke from childhood not awake
my mouth is sad but laughing whether
always in your cradle take
defending laughter feather by feather

o creature of so high a flight
that your flesh like sifted sky
if only I could find the mark
where the journey had to start

at eight months old you laughed so silly
with five ferocities five lilies
five teeth that just happened
like five young jasmins

the frontier of kisses will be tomorrow when
you realize your teeth are weapons
you'll sense fire running down your mouth
thrusting toward your center south

fly my child in the double moons
upon her breast onion sad
be satisfied do not give up be glad
may you not know what's happening
or what has come to pass.....


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