I Am From. . .

I enjoyed “I Am From” posts by several bloggers so I decided to try my own. The ideas became so unwieldly that I settled on my Neal grandparents, and I sure didn’t stick to the template that started it all. (See below)

Who I’m From

I was born on a Sunday morning, 
the first Neal grandchild, 
where church bells summoned worshippers 
to the nearby Presbyterian Church.

I am from grandparents Kenneth (in overalls) 
and Ruby (in a cotton housedress and apron) 
who lived on a farm, 
whose front door was just for looks, 

from grandma-made patchwork quilts 
and a grandma-made brick patio by the back door, 

treated when I was little to chocolate frosting on a saltine, 
treasures behind a buffet door–toy tractors and horses 
and Disney comic books.

I am from Grandma’s rotund barrel cactus 
bristling with round barnacles of its own, 
the mother one she sold for a dollar 
to a farm-to-farm salesman, 
right off the brick patio 
where he tried to make a sale,

from shelves of canning jars filled with garden bounty, 
in an unfinished basement, 
next to a room of corncobs for the big furnace, 
where I taught Cousin Ken to dance Rock and Roll 
with jars of green beans and tomatoes as our audience.

I’m from a Presbyterian youth choir, 
singing I Would be a Sunbeam 
and When Morning Gilds the Skies,
and candlelit Christmas eve services.

From a grandfather who sang
with the local Methaquakaterian quartet 
and each Sunday
counted his grandchildren in the choir.

I’m from clan potluck Thanksgivings, 
where we cousins carried plates 
full of savory foods 
to enjoy around card tables
in Grandma's sewing room,
 
and fireworks on Grandpa’s July 5 birthday, 
which one time got out of control, 
and Grandpa remarked that he’d never seen Presbyterians 
move so fast. 

Encouraged by these bloggers: “Giving Poetry a Chance: I Am From” on Writing from the Heart With Brian, “Echoes” on Victoria Ponders, “Polished Maple Tables” on Lake Arrowhead Lady Writer, and “I am From” on Baydreamer Writes. They were initially inspired by the delightful “Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyon, which you’ll find in two of these posts.

They just might encourage you to have fun with “I Am From” as well.

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Template by George Ella Lyon: I Am From–to get you started!

I am from ________________ (specific ordinary item)

From ____________ (product name) and _____________ (product name)

____________ (adjective), ______(adjective), _________ (sensory detail)

I am from _____________ (plant, flowers, natural item)

_______________________________________ (description of above item)

I’m from ______________ (family tradition) and _____________ (family trait)

From ___________ (name of family member) and ______________ (another family member)

I’m from the _______________ (description of family tendency) and ________ (another one)

From ______________ (something you were told as a child) and _________ (another)

I’m from __________________ (representation of religion or lack thereof), __________ (further description)

I’m from ___________________ (place of birth and family ancestry)

_______________________ (a food that represents your family), ___________ (another one)

From the ___________ (specific family story about a specific person and detail).