I Am From...

I Am From…

I am from a little suburb

That is no bigger than my kitchen cupboard.

Where planes fly overhead day and night

Newcomers often find it a delight.

Where the aroma of spring flowers flows

Gently, into every inhabitants’ nose.

Where children like to play in the park

Yelling “Wood chips!” as they scurry across the bark.

I am from a family of four

Though, when extended, we are many more.

Beginning at the roots of our motherland: Poland

There are many traditions and we proudly uphold them.

From waiting to catch a glimpse of the first star on Christmas Eve

To sitting around the table, eating kotlety and buraki.

These are just a few of the things I’ll miss a lot

But I’ll try to keep them close in thought.

I am from a Polish speaking family

Where the tongue twister “stół z powyłamywanymi nogami” is attempted casually.

As a child I was called Paulinka and kotek

Now the names Paula, Pauls, PK, and Paulie are all on deck.

It’s words like these that are each tied to some memory

All of which, combined, are very special to me.

Among these words is the phrase “kolorowych snów”

Which my mom and I frequently exchanged under our home’s roof.

I am from a group of individuals

Who have shaped me and my principles.

Some have been with me through thick and thin

While others treated me like waste in a trash bin

Family, friends, faculty, and foes alike

Have taught me valuable lessons throughout my life.

People like this go and people like this come

All influencing my answer to where I am from.