Where i'm from

I am from the chipped coffee cup,

from Hershey and  black+decker.

I am from the shared bedroom in the basement…

mysterious, scary, and hearing the toys falling over.

I am from the lilies that were next to the porch,

the sunflowers that lived down the road

Whose height was three time mine

I am from spaghetti Sundays and big feet,

from Derose Crisman and Tina Ortz and Joseph Little.

I am from the speaking before thinking and getting angry fast.

From mom finds out EVERYTHING, so don’t even try it

and you can do whatever you want in life,

I will always be there to support you in your choices.

I am from not having a religion, but knowing I should.

Never praying before a meal,

unless it was a religious holiday or to look like a good family.

Not fully understanding my meaning here but living everyday like I do.

I'm from Clarion Pennsylvania and England,

Meat loaf and ham dinners.

From the overcoming of depression my mother faced,

The reason being my siblings and I,

And the loving family enough to not put them in harm's way,

even if it could have benefited my father in his younger years.

I am from the trunk in my mom's closet,

baby clothes from us four, even our little booty’s

and homemade gifts from art class.

The pictures from many years even from before me,

keeping the memories alive of the ones who aren’t.