Where I’m From

Written by: Megan Weber

I am from the land of cheese, the badger state,

My homeland of Wisconsin.

I am from a place where the smell of cow manure and paper mills

Masks the air.

I am from brat fry’s, giant cheeseheads, and Packer Games, where

The green and gold always wins and the Vikings always lose.

I’m from summer trips to the Northwoods,

Where deer peruse freely and raccoons

Feverishly scavenge,

Where glowing red, white, and blue fireworks

Dance in the night’s sky,

Where the scent of roasted marshmallows and bug spray fills my lungs.

I’m from playing kickball in the backyard,

Flying high in the sky on a swing,

And going on long bike rides through nature trails.

I’m from family road trips to Chicago,

Blasting music so loud ears are ringing by the end.

I’m from family movie nights,

The buttery taste of popcorn melting in our mouths

As we watch another world unfold right before our eyes.

I’m from family game nights, where

Life, Sorry, UNO!, and Monopoly are all cluttered in the closet.

I am from reaching for the stars

As they glow on my bedroom ceiling at night.

I am from a world where “you can do anything” is a mantra

And family always comes first.

I am from polite manners and doing household chores

Before playing with friends.

I am from a big family, so unique and bizarre,

It’s like living in a zoo.

 I am from a place I like to call home,

And without it, I would not be me.