Where I'm From

Tonight's post is from one of my favorite writing activities from using Georgia Ella Lyon's poem Where I'm From as a mentor text. I love to use it with students as a get-to-know you or talk to your parents to find these details out activity. I bet there are details here that many of you who know me, don't even know.

I am from running shoes,  
from Ivory and ice cream.
I am from the brown brick home with solar panels on the roof  reflecting silver into in the sky.
I am from the old oak trees,
the pink, red, and white azaleas flowering in the spring.
I am from evenings of playing High, Low, Jack and boisterous laughter,
from my dad, Jack,

and Mckenna, Burke
and Salata.
I am from the big mouths and loud talkers
and voracious readers.
From having kidneys behind my eyes --- me, a big crybaby,
and being able to take care of yourself--- a most important virtue.
I am from St. Margaret's Episcopal Church on Old Church Road in Hibernia on Fleming Island off an oak-lined dirt road.
I'm from Jacksonville, FL, Ireland and Slovenia, sauerkraut, black licorice and cheesy potatoes.
From the Irish immigrants who shipwrecked on Nova Scotia before laying roots in Rhode Island,
the tea shop that my great great great aunties owned,

and the dinner dates at Georges where my parents' shared clam cakes and steamers.

I am from a family of scrapbookers--- black and white yellowed paper to digital images--- stories brought to life by my daughter's questions.