STUDENT POETRY INSPIRED BY

GEORGE ELLA LYON’S

“Where I’m From”

I Am From By Izzy F.

I am from bright lights and big stagesFrom music filling my life each dayI am from Wednesday nights at church, the fun that never endsI am from iPhones and Instagram, which it seems I can't live without From photography and editing, which I love too much

I am from stormy nights that make me sleep on the couch with my dog, scared to deathI am from “try harder” and “GET OFF YOUR PHONE,NOW”From the loads of decorations my stepmom is always putting upI am from the move that changed everything, the phone calls that always lose service

These memories stashed in iPhoto albums, taking up too many “gigglebytes”But will be forever there, due to iCloudI am from Danielle and Kevin’s branchThe root that is stomped all over, but still supporting the tree

I Am From...By Steven F.

I am from the beaches.The sand, the shells, and the azure coast.

From the fiery forgesOf virtual steel.

I am from the mechanismsOf office armories,

And the tinkering of school suppliesWhen I should be doing classwork.

I am from the flightsOf trips from summers long gone.

And the dust kicked upfrom hikes into the unknown realms of the backyard.

I am the apple that fell away from the tree,But I will never stray far

from the orchard.

I Am From…by Ava B.

I am from gold caffeine free Dr. PepperFrom face scrubs and Vera Bradley pencilsI am from the one story plus game room perfect-for-our-family-size house, From the smell of constantly lit candles with all different scents

I am from the slope in our backyardFrom the peonies that still stand strong with tender care from my dadI am from going to the barn at 6:30 and opening one present on Christmas EveFrom Angela and Duane

I am from quoting movies 24/7 and watching every episode of Project Runway I am from “eat your greens” and “go above and beyond”I am from Dallas and Indiana and garlic breadFrom Pop’s (Grandpa’s) leg that was lost in the ski trip, the leg that still limps today

I am from Disney World autographs and dirty brown saddles that always need cleaningFrom memories that sit on shelves and hide in boxes in the atticI am from the mementos that give little bursts of happiness when I look at themMemories that make me wish I was still there

Where I’m FromBy James L.

I am from the fridge in the kitchenfrom Blue Gatorade and Red Dr. Pepper

I am from the old, warm, cozy housewith a smell of chicken roasting in the ovenI am from the old oak tree in my front yardI am from white elephant on Christmas Eve

I am from Julie and RobI’m from eating ingredients when cooking and dinner at 6:30

and from shooting hoops before doing homeworkI’m from winners never quit and quitters never win, and never ever give up

and from hard work pays offI’m from road trips to camp and New Mexico

I’m from Austin, Texas with a lot of German bloodFrom old Army stories from my grandparents about my great granddad

who was tall and skinnyFrom Nolan Ryan pictures and a long sharp Bowie knife

which are on the walls of my room and in my heart

Where I'm FromBy Grant A

I'm from a small neighborhoodFrom front yard football games and long greenbelt hikesTo mini sword battles where we carefully planned out every move

From salted caramel hot chocolateand homemade banana puddingTo my mom's special Thanksgiving meal

From 6:30 a.m. football practices and basketball tryouts before school to two day weekend baseball tournaments an hour out of town

From light khaki pants and bright neon basketball shorts to brand new, sweet smelling Sperry’s

From midnight premiers and Ironman marathonsto #trickshottuesdays and #flashbackfridays

From my momFrom my dad From Austin, Texas

I Am From…by Saira M.

I am from a red, white, and green flag with a blue flower in the middle,From Dad forcing me into the life of old classic rock,

And from Mom forbidding the words “stupid” and “shut up,” but pretending to not hear them when my sister was being especially mean.

I come from the birthplace of Plano, Texas, and from the smells of yellow curry and pink lotus flowers,

And from Brother Bear, Mulan 1&2, The Jungle Book, and all Disney princess movies,

From Nathan and Maya, and close friends of the family.I am from gold, red, green, and brown, the color scheme of our house,

warm and inviting,From huge gardens, bright flowers, a trampoline, and swings that can

absorb my interest like a towel for hours at a time,As well as from that one color-blinding, unnatural, seizure-inducing

bright turquoise room, owned by my sister, that doesn’t complement or go with anything in our house.

I Am FromBy Kevin Z

I am from Washington StateWhere it snows by the footWhere there is a risk of major earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, but we still live onAnd where I have spent many childhood years living and playing

I am from my homeA nice, cozy, and one-story house made of white stone blocksFrom spending holidays dozing in my green bedTo wasting free hours playing random computer gamesOr diving into the water in my pool, blue and cool

I am from schoolFrom where I first set foot in Forest TrailAnd West RidgeFrom doing hours of mind-numbing math homework and interesting science projectsTo writing this poem

I am from Boy ScoutsFrom working on merit badges, first aid, and advances in the Texas heatFrom setting foot on cliff faces in Colorado coldnessFrom blasting targets with rifles and arrowsFrom reveling in accomplishment when I advance a rank

I am from my familyWhere we speak a different languageWhere I am a mutated leaf on the family tree, because I’m different from the restOn my mom and dad’s branchWhere the majority of us are thousands of miles apartBut still together

I Am From...by Dahlia L

I am from Houston, From what feels like the most humid, swampy climate on planet Earth.

I am from long nights under covers, secretly reading.I am from the JCC, where I can be myself with people who are just like me.

I am from darkness, preferring to stay unseen in the shadows.I am from long discussions with various family members about their chosen profession

I am from snowy winter vacations in Massachusetts,With those long evenings spent with a blanket, hot coco, and The Lion King

I am from “Dahlia!”’s being yelled from all directions,and I am from cozy nights, curled up in a ball on the ugly green futon with my family all around me.

I am from a Jewish family, and my ancestors fled Spain to keep their faith. I am from the Haunted House, with its overgrown ivy and shrubs and grasses, with the peeling paint, and the green-tinted stone steps.

I am from roasted marshmallows, playing softball, and an uncle obsessed with the Red Sox, and I am from “Quiz me!”’s, over and over again, finally caving and quizzing my brother in geography, and him me.

I am from long car trips and chocolate, from Harry Potter, The Book Thief, and Lone Wolf.

I am from a big extended family, from Argentina and Poland and Israel and Romania.

From long conversations about genealogy.I am from being confused half the time, from cello, from music and from African hand drums

I am from an ancient legacy, from all the other Jews who came before me,but most of all,

I am from my family.•

I Am From…Izadora F.

I am from a different country Where the language is unknown to most Where the biggest part of my family is from

Where snow falls by the meter

I am from a unique family Green eyes is my specialty

Blond hair is a secret my brother and I share

I am from under a red roof A stone house

Plain but beautiful in its own way From an explosion of different shades of green around

I am from the need of chocolate To being nervous to speak in front of a crowd

I am from getting angry at my brother with a snap of a finger To doing things that are excruciatingly boring like homework

I am from sadness From the pain I felt when my poor, 18 year old uncle died From the agony I felt as when my forehead got cut open

I am from a favorite place The comfy, snug living room

From the chocolate brown couch With the hot, dry Texan sun shining big and bright

I Am From…Drew W.

I am from the basketball hoop outside my houseFrom my pantry and my comfy couch

I am from the big white house that I grew up in from the unforgettable smell of rubber in the basement

I am from Thanksgiving dinners and lots of turkeyfrom the annoying frog that used to sit outside my house and keep me up all nightI am from going to Maine every year to meet up with my cousins and grandparents

and from watching football all Sunday longI am from “be nice to your sister” and “get off the couch”

and “life’s not fair” I’m from playing elevator tag and trying not to get caught

I’m from California and USAfrom Subway and pizza

From my grandpa being in the navycaptain of his submarine

and the many pictures of my family covering the walls of my house