I Am From…

I’m from gold cart adventures and 4-wheeler trails,
From bending willow branches and itchy, fir tree needles.
From nasty banged and scrapped knees,
With stinky antiseptic cartooned Band-Aids.
From brightly colored Crayola Markers
With vibrant Lisa Frank coloring books.
I am from Fischer Price Little People, along with
Barbie and Ken outings on the town.

I’m the fragrant scents of my childhood:
“Red Door” and “Sweet Honesty,”
“Obsession” and “Silver”
From pigtails and ponies,
Loose front “tooths” and shiny new quarters.
I’m from cow pies and lily pad ponds,
Squirmy tadpoles and buzzing horseflies,
Dusty cow trails and muddy creeks.
I am from roly-poly puppies with wet kisses
And lovable kittens with soft whiskers.

I’m from Thanksgivings spent cooking with Grandma,
Christmas spent chasing cousins at Great-Granny’s,
And Fourth of July spent watching dazzling fireworks with Daddy.
I am from lazy Sunday afternoons spent watching football,
And delicious fried chicken dinners,
Mushy mashed potato sandwiches and
Muggy August nights spent picking green beans with Momma.
I’m from growing ripe tomatoes out of a rotten tree stump,
To watering “Oscar,”
And following worn trails that canine, Spike, made.

I am from MTV and CMT,
From Billy Ray Cyrus, Garth Brooks and Eminem,
And strange little things known as Carebears.
From talented actresses, like Julie Andrews or Audrey Hepburn,
“Survivor I, II, and III” and the inquisitive “Jeopardy Song.”
I am from Butler and Brokaw,
From 5, 6, and 10,
To “Excuse the interruption folks”
And interminable commercials.

I am from the reigns of
Regean, Bush I, Clinton, and Bush II.
Administrations each worthy of some praise.
But I am also from the unbelievable reigns of
Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, and the bloody chaos of Mary I.

I’m from decades of hardships, political turmoil and social injustice.
Nations ravaged by Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom,
National tragedies as September 11th and Columbia.
Nevertheless, grown through loss and lonliness,
I am from broken hearts and burns,
Headaches and worries, leg cramps.
And bloody noses.

I’m from little cities and big towns,
“Porch Monkies” and vibrant daycare life,
Wonderful swimming pools and vivid summer sunshine,
With irritating chiggers, ticks, and turkey mites.
I am from days spent doing nothing,
But watching the plots of “Passions” unfold.
From being a “Business um…Girl” to “Bird Tata”,
And “Crack Me Up, Hardcore.”
“Want some paasta or speerghettu?”
I’m from something along the lines of,
“Well, I’ll be Jigger” and “Hi, I’m Ramsey’s Girlfriend.”

This is where I am from.
 

Jessica
Livingston Central High

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