I Am From

By: Genevieve Trovato

With gratitude toward George Ella Lyon

I am from love 

From family dinners and boardgames  

I am from rowdiness 

From sarcasm and crying laughter 

Home cooked meals, bedtime stories, and muddy shoes 

I am from arguments  

Lonely nights and boring days  

Tears of happiness and hatred  

I am from compromise  

From mom’s house to dad’s house and back again 

Hand-me-downs and knitted sweaters 

I am from a big pine tree in my yard that is now just a stump 

From playing at the park and going on picnics 

I am from the Laneville’s 

Who will give you the shirt off their back if you ask nice enough 

People who will drop everything to help the ones they love 

I am everything and nothing all in one  

But overall   

I am me