Where I'm From

I have been researching a new project, reading various media sources about place and sense of place. Like so many online research sessions, I happened upon a website that led to a blog, that led to another blog, and then a Youtube video. I couldn't help myself. I knew right away when I read Kentucky Poet Laureate, George Ella Lyon's poem, I would use it as a mentor poem. I read it several times, then found the video from The United States of Poetry episode posted below, and listened to her read it aloud. I had to try my own "Where I'm From" poem.  Writers and teachers, I encourage you to visit her blog. There are lots of golden nuggets to be found in the pages, and the home page says, "Welcome Word-Weavers!" She uses the spiderweb as a metaphor for writing. How can you not love that?

Here she is, yes George is a woman, reciting "Where I'm From."

Where I'm From
by Laurie J. Kemp

I am from eat-in kitchens
from records and 8-track tapes.
I am from the giant weeping willow in the backyard
(Expansive and shaggy,
a great place to pout.)
I am from the colonial porch
the almost back deck
which never got built
because our family fell apart.

I'm from kugel and matzoh balls
     from Isador and Esther
I'm from the wise-asses
    and the big mouths
from give it a rest! and go to your room!
I'm from Shema Yisrael
     Adonai Eloheinu
     and dozens of Hebrew prayers

I'm from small town Long Island,
fresh deli and the best bagels.
From a family of four I lost
     to a divorce
when my mom and dad called it quits.

In my closet were boxes and piles
filled of memories and photos,
a collection of my childhood artifacts.
I am without those moments
lost in the packing when we left
faded memories in the back of my head.