I Am From..

I am from being awaken by the sounds of ironing
By the ironing board rattling always in the calm mornings,
The aroma of freshly steamed clothes catching my attention.
From the little pack of five stumbling down stair, like hungry zombies
For strawberry strudels.
Sitting by the heater to warm us up from our slumber
From the diurnal process with the Colgate
Who bristles didn't hurt as much as the purple brush,
What my mother used to brush my hair to make the two perfect ponytails
"Mom my hair is fine".

I am from baptizing our furry friend in the bathroom sink
To the red stings on my innocent face,
"But mom I thought he liked the water".
From pop tarts and Cheetos as we watched our daily dose
Of Ham-taro after what seems to be an eternity at school.
From "GIRL! You must must be crazy if you think imma touch that!",
to "Daddy are we there yet" us loud pack of five would holler from
The backseat on those summer trips to Wisconsin Dells
And my favorite... Paul Bunyan's!

I am from what the heck is Disney!??!
Hmmm... Let's watch Friday the 13th.
From NOOOO DON'T TURN OFF THE LIGHTS!
From laying in my brothers Power Ranger sheets
Pondering at the some what dirty ceiling
Thinking
"Damn... I should have went to pee,
But I know he's waiting for me by the steps".
From cuddling close to my older brother for safety
Because I knew if something happens to me it
Had to happen to him first!

I am from OHHHH NOOO CUJO RAN OUT AGAIN!!! I
As we watched the small black and white dog jolting down the long strip street.
"Pick him up! Get him! Hurry! Please help us!"
From all the neighborhood children, gathering together for one common goal.
Ying and Yang, alley and enemy, friend and foe
Was all forgotten the only thing that mattered was catching
That channel six look alike.
From one after the other being defeated in the chase passed out on
Neighbor's lawn
From tiredness to that brown screen door
Being opened again and the battle
Was over.
"Dang is that all we had to do?"

I am from the Earth
From gentle giants
Throwing around hits like a boxer
From hearing the other amped up kids shouting,
"Get Em!"
From the runners, to the tacklers, the grass stains, and the sweat.

I am from long rides back and forth from house to house,
Wondering if I had a home.
From, "Daddy are you okay"
Looking at my father driving with tears in his eyes
From watching my sister wash the dishes
And in my head, I'm happy mother
Doesn't let me do them.
To playing outside for hours with all the children on the block
Figuring out who was the Cops and Robbers.
To watching my brother check if the doors
Were locked so Momz
Didn't snap black lady style on all of us in the morning
My innocence took over my childhood.
Watching how all my brothers and sisters
Acted, I was hoping not to make the same mistakes.

I am from a proud family of seven
Mercedes, Julio, Tynesha, Jamal, Daniel, Kalyb, and me...Saberina
Doing what big families do
Have fun.
From going sledding in the winter,
Racing down the icy slopes.
From playing in the sands of the Gulf of Mexico
Watching the birds surround us children
Feeding them Sour Cream and Onion chips plus
Cheesy Puffs
While my father gazed into the ocean of dreams.
From competing for who can catch the biggest fish.
And as the youngest,
Sadly I always lost.
From gaping at my brothers getting there daily dose of whippins'.
To ordering pizza on those Saturday nights
While sitting back and peeling the pepperonis off our pizza
And trading them like poker chips.
To going to the movies and hoping to get ice cream afterwards
From getting into fights over the stupidest things
Like who ate the last Oodles and Noodles.
And happy holidays, coming together to enjoy the company
Of each other

To reminiscing on those moments
That made me,
Sculpted me,
And gave me meaning where
I am from.