Where I'm From

I am from books, from fantasy,
And memory-catching photographs.

I am from the open, the quiet
And the comfortably used
Everything is familiar.

I am from marigolds, tulips
And freshly mowed grass.
From pines and willows,
Whose limbs were climbed for endless hours.

I am from evening walks and short nails
From both Marys' to Debbie and Wes.

I am from the Must-Be-Right's
And the Don't-Tell-Me-What-To-Do's

From Worry-About-Yourself
And Everything-Gets-Better.

I'm from a small country town
Corn on the cob and red, juicy watermelon.

From the vacation of "Where's Shane?!"
The baby sharks and shellfish
And "I never did that when I was your age!"

I am from the closet of photo albums and scrapbooks
Where we all lay
In still, captured moments.
Smiles and frowns,
Each personality bursting through the paper.
From aged faces
And things we once did.
These memories made
Me.