Caramelize

Memories are like onions,
they reveal themselves slowly
you peel the layers away,
run water over them to clear the muck
then, you begin to see that shade of pink.
You prepare yourself for the tears,
hope it doesn’t hit you this time
and get distracted by how you’re going to cut it;
dice, slice or chop?
And then when those details have you down,
the tears come, so swift you’re shocked
Despite it all you smile at yourself
how they shrink on being cooked;
maybe they were better raw after all.