I`m from Malt-O-Meal cereal
And the smell of Windex and glasses in second grade.
From the rope swing and the sycamore tree in our front yard,
taller than the house is long
I`m from the willow shoots in the back yard.
They used to be up to my knee, but are now much taller than me

I`m from east and west, north and south.
From Virginia to Oregon, Georgia to Washington,
I`m from the family of “Same difference” and “Get a grip”. From “We`re moving again” and “You have to share a room with your sister.
I`m from fried chicken and coffee cake on birthdays
and Charles Dickens at Christmas.
From turkey and jelly beans on Easter

I`m from the old house in Paris that`s covered in vines
from Winnie the Pooh and Blues Clues and
“try to color inside the lines”

I`m from goat heads and weeds in the garden,
overgrowing the strawberries and tomatoes
the ripest one just out of reach.

I`m from John and Jen,
From the Golden Oldies that they love so much
Watching “The Time Zone” at New Years.

I`m from slamming doors and open windows,
I`m from the box of photographs under my bed
From the smiles and laughs frozen forever in time
that no one knows are there.

I`m from them
and they make me
who I am.