A Single Slice Reveals Them

A Single Slice Reveals Them
by Naomi Shihab Nye

Image: "Apples" by Iznanka

An apple on the table
hides its seeds 
so neatly
under seamless skin.


But we talk and talk and talk
to let somebody
in.



"A Single Slice Reveals Them" is probably the shortest poem in 19 Varieties of Gazelle by Naomi Shihab Nye, but it is a very power poem that connects to her feelings about humanity. Like apples, people are solid on the surface. You cannot see what the are made of by just looking by them.  All you need is to slice into an apple to reveal its hidden seeds, and all you need to do is talk to a person in order to "let somebody in."


While writing this, the author must have had many subjects in mind. One would be the American people's perception of Arabs after the events of September 11th. In this poem she asks us not to assume that all Arabic people have similar ideas and feelings to the terrorists who committed horrible crimes on that day. The vast majority of Arab's are people like you and me, and all we need to do is talk to them in order to see that.


The author is also relating this idea to the Palestinians and Israelis. If only they would talk to one another as people, and not as enemies they could see the toll that the violence has had on both of them, and perhaps this could lead to a peaceful resolution between the two.


This is a message to all people, of every culture and nationality. In order to get to know someone, all you need to do is take the time to talk to them. If you do this, you can find humanity is almost everyone.