Where I’m From
“We are born in a certain time and a certain place and like vintage wines we retain the flavor of our origins.” ~ Carl Jung
“Where I’m From” is inspired by George Ella Lyon’s poem of the same name, from the book “Where I’m From, Where Poetry Comes From.” I first learned of it from my fellow Floydian friend Fred First on his Fragments From Floyd (can you say that 5 times fast) blog. If you would like to try your own version, see the template for the poem here. “Where I’m From” (which Fred affectionately refers to as WIF) has been making its way around the blogsphere and provides a fun way to express your unique sense of place while getting to know others. See my attempt below and see a collection of them at Pratie Place.
Where I’m From
I am from a granite boulder seawall
and cotton candy at Paragon Park
I’m from blackberry stains and beach rose petals
catalpa beans and bamboo
I am from my father’s eyes
after he saw the holocaust at Buchenwald
and the nape of my mother’s neck
where white pearls hung
before her thyroid surgery
I am from Hail Mary full of grapes
midnight mass and pennies in the poor box
I’m from the unlucky luck of the Irish
the old sod and Southie
before there were gangsters
I am from A your Adorable
B you’re so Beautiful
God Bless Mommy and Daddy
Jimmy and Kathy
Colleen and Danny
Sherry and Johnny
Joey and Bobby and Trish
I am from the salt of the earth
One if by land, two if by sea
John F. Kennedy and Fenway Park
even when the Red Sox are losing
I’m from ice skates and alphabet streets
jump ropes and black and white TV
I’m not from the farm or the city
I’m from plastic flowers in the village cemetery
and horseshoe crabs with blue blood
I’m from my grandmother’s picnic basket
sleeping on curlers in baby doll pajamas
kerchiefs and bobby socks
hoola hoops and the twist
Dear Diary today is Friday
I’m from bad words crossed out
and secret codes not revealed
from hurricanes and floods
and playing monopoly
with a hidden stash of money
by a kerosene lamp in the kitchen
_________Colleen Redman
Note: Read all Where I’m From posts HERE.
April 7th, 2005 9:39 pm
What a fantastic poem! How wonderfully creative you are. Although, I think your brain is like a sieve…or you really like your story about Steven Tyler visiting in MA. Did you realize you left the same comment in differing variations 3 times on two different days?? I think your ghost is back, only this time it’s in reappearing ink ;0) LOL!
April 8th, 2005 12:20 am
That was wonderful. BTW, the two previous Post, were also very interesting. My husband, has learned so much about me through my blog, and he’s definitely my favorite reader. heehee. : ) We have had some very intimate conversation or heated discussions, depending on the Post.
April 8th, 2005 8:23 am
Oh, I love yours. That was such a fun exercise for me, but difficult, too.
April 9th, 2005 4:40 pm
This is really well done with an emotive hardworking set of details picked out. I’ve been trying to do one for days but can’t seem to find the details, the rhythm or contain it to something focused and short as the form.
April 16th, 2005 3:57 pm
Hi Colleen,
Thanks for stopping by my place today. Your WIF is lovely. I loved the exercise of writing mine, both the dredging up of memories and the paring down to what seemed most essential.
April 18th, 2006 12:03 am
Hi Colleen, I did this writing exercise. It sure felt good, thanks.
April 20th, 2006 2:22 pm
You did a wonderful job with this Colleen. I gather you’re a New Englander through and through.
October 2nd, 2007 2:39 pm
Colleen, you did a wonderful job on the Where I’m From poem! I really enjoyed reading it, and I have been threatening to write one for myself – but it wouldn’t be as good as yours!
October 3rd, 2007 8:25 am
truly adore it when was it written?
October 21st, 2007 11:27 am
this is the best poem i have read it speaks to me in many ways
May 11th, 2008 11:45 am
Have you read Alistair MacLeod’s, “No Great Mischief”? This poem (and I love it!) reminds me of his book.
Kat
May 12th, 2008 8:52 pm
Thank you for adding me to your links. I have taken on the challenge of this poem and posted it today. Yours was so inspirational and evocative. I hope I’ve done the process justice.
Kat
September 30th, 2010 2:24 am
Commonly referred in my past life as Sherri Packer.
Your poem is unbelievable! I would like to share it with some old friends.
You are one talented lady!!
With Gratitude,
Sherri
April 25th, 2016 9:27 am
This is a fantastic treat to read Colleen.. you stayed so much in your memories of past and so many images that still formed coherence… wonderful read.
April 25th, 2016 1:10 pm
Love, love, love this poem 😀
April 25th, 2016 1:55 pm
SO wonderful. What rich memories…….I was most struck by your father’s eyes, having experienced Buchenwald. Wow. This is a rich heritage, and I so enjoyed reading it.
April 25th, 2016 2:12 pm
This is a wonderful WIF, so many delightful memories, I enjoyed it very much,,
April 25th, 2016 2:49 pm
This is a STUNNING mirror of Lyon’s piece. So well done.
April 25th, 2016 3:04 pm
Brilliant and so much revealed about time and space – the where and what of where you’re from. I love the dear Diary section and that sudden lit darkness in the end…playing game. Wonderful!
April 25th, 2016 3:35 pm
Oh, I love your journey of roots. I so enjoy getting a glimpse into the life of a writer. “I am from Hail Mary full of grapes midnight mass and pennies in the poor box” This is one of my favorite lines. Thank you so much for writing for the prompt!
April 26th, 2016 2:38 am
It’s all wonderful, rich … and I so love ‘Hail Mary full of grapes.’
April 27th, 2016 8:42 pm
oh, yes, I remember mary and her grapes, too, –this is a wonderful poem, btw. I may try my hand at this later on…
May 4th, 2016 10:45 pm
[…] 9. I am from Hail Mary full of grapes / midnight mass and pennies in the poor box. – From Where I’m From, which I recently linked to a poetry blog where poets where sharing their Where I’m From poems and it gave my poem a new life of readers with comments. See HERE. […]
September 16th, 2020 11:01 pm
This is honest to the bone !!!I know because I’m from the same place just behiñd different eyes but in our lil çorner of the world Colleen ,we as village Hullonian folks we’re bound to grow up with the same feelings deep down knowing how blessed we are to be from the same vine that will continue to grow ,twisted and eternal. I love your words and how inspiring they are and the visions they conjure up.Thanks and keep em coming!
September 16th, 2020 11:27 pm
xo Ross. Who feels it knows it. in my dreams and psyche. A time and place that forever shaped us. Bittersweet now.