Slice of Life - Where I'm From

Join me and others writers who post weekly Slices of Life, each Tuesday, throughout the year at the Two Writing Teachers website.  Today's slice is an assignment I gave my poetry group in my class. It is inspired by the poem Where I'm From by George Ella Lyon. See his poem and website at http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html. I'm excited to hear the Where I'm From poems written by my students and a little scared to share mine.

Where I'm From 

by Max Maclay

I am from the mountains,

Tall, green and piney,

Whispering in the wind,

Bright in the moonlight

And dark as space.

From orange lichen-covered rocks

Scraping my knees, and thighs.

Bloody red sacrifices to stand King.

I am from the city,

Silver spires shooting high,

Crowded, noisy, smelly,

Reflective.

Bike paths, music, broken glass

And Red lights.

Green lights too.

I am from brown and dusty cornfields,

Pick-up trucks, apple pie, cowboys hats,

Predicting the rain,

And Friday Night Lights.

I did not belong there,

But now I am from there,

And it lives in me.

I am from my parents' love.

Showing me courage, 

How to grow,  

To do Right, even when it's hard.

How to do it wrong

And keep moving on.

I am from divorced parents,

Three step-moms,

Only one "evil"

(and she saved my life.)

Bonus parents, bonus moms, bonus presents, 

Bonus love.

I am from blueberry buttermilk pancakes on Sunday,

Gingerbread Men, Christmas cookies, 

And stale candy snitched from the gingerbread house.

I am from grilled meat, baseball on TV, 7UP in the hammock

And inappropriate use of pepperoni before a trip.

I am from a classroom and a school

Games, puzzles and wordplay,

Puns, jokes and cake on the first Tuesday of the month.

A recipe shared, 

Again and again and again.

I am from the doctor's office,

Sadly supportive, finding the bright side, optimistic.

Trying for six years,

Infertile.

I am from another damn baby shower,

Another damn pink baby announcement,

Another damn fake smile,

Another batch of misplaced and uncontrollable resentment.

I am from the delivery room

Praising modern science

Blessed, 

Lucky, 

Responsible for more than I ever imagined.

I am one-for-three

I am from the deeds undone,

Letters unwritten, 

Hugs missed,

Apologies unsung.

I am from altitude's thin air, 

Snatching my breath before I'm done,

So high, the earth curves away,

The colors impossible.

I am from the mountains.