I AM FROM

I am from loving parents

a stable relationship and household I can rely on

I am from a nervous childhood

Of bitten fingernails and awkward moments

I am from fun

Grass stained jeans and worn down Nike's from the shoelaces to the souls from Basketball and Karate

I am from Laughter

The giggles and chuckles from tickles from my parents and jokes with my friends

I am from East African culture

Swahili words and broken english spoken through telephone wires and smells a jappatii and CousCous the grains of a faraway place

I am from Rap music

The sounds and beats of Lupe Fiasco Common & Mos Deff were spoken word and Lyricism are held high

I am from Cigarette butt's and Bottles of bear

The the smells that burn my Nostrils and my heart as my father uses them

I am from Arguments

Promises to leave aggravations that lead to abandonment

I am from a single Parent household

A mother that works 3 jobs and comes home at 7:00 to put food on the stove and heat in the house

I am from Vienna Sausages and Cup noodles

The hunger of a growing boy as his mother is at work

I am from the smell of smoke

The burning of the only place I could call home as an Electrical fire burns our roof

I am from l living in Motels.

The struggle to get at at 3:00 in the morning for the drive to school

I am from skinny jeans and skateboards

Basketball dreams gone with no other alternative

I am from confusion of where I am from

Pushing the memories of a man I once once known who gave me identity

I am from church mentors

Long meetings mom set up to give me a visual of who I should Inspire to be

I am from Track & Field

A sport I was naturally good at that made me want to perfect it

I am from St. Benedict's

Leadership and situations where I learn who I am and my voice

I am from disconnect

Too Hood for some yet to Suburban for others

I am from Facebook

Messages with a curtain somebody who apologizes for the pain and is willing to make up for lost time

I am from, still learning where I am from

But never forgetting where I came from