de donde eres?

I suppose this is a meme, though I am loathe to call it such.  It is an exercise to get you thinking and writing, and the results are lovlier than just about any commonly repeated blog post subject I've seen.  I discovered it from Kimberly, who got it from Pratie Place, but it originates from Fragments from Floyd and surely many a college poetry class.  It's called "Where I'm From", and is based on a poem by George Ella Lyons.

Here is mine:

Where I'm From

I am from Main Street, from Schlitz beer, and Hamburger Helper, and "Highlights for Children". I am from the scent of the lilac bush under the window, from kick the can, and barefoot walks to the mailbox.

I am from crab apple trees, three in a row, and Miracle Whip.  I am from the strings of a zither, and "Old Man River", and the New York Central Railroad.

I am from shoo fly pie, and volleyball nets, and sunsets over the Olympic Mountains, from highballs, and refrigerator cookies, and cedar trees planted in Dixie cups and then transplanted to the backyard. I am from fighing with my sister in the back seat of the mustard colored Dodge Dart.

I am from color TV, and pony tails,and daffodils blooming along the driveway.  I am from clouds of Aquanet and "Jazz at the Philharmonic".

I am from Cinderella, and calipers, and grilled tuna salad sandwiches cut in triangles. I am from the wind tunnel, and the office tower, and sleeping bags in the yard all night, covered with glittering slug trails in the morning.

I am from jumping on the bed, and a rented cabin in the summertime that smelled of dusty wood.  I am from rum & cokes and pinochle games played to the sound of the lake lapping against stones.

I am from piano tuners who went door-to-door, and a man born during the deperession. I am from a farm on a hill that grew gladiolas, and from men with wide laps and rough cheeks who rolled their own cigarettes and taught me magic tricks with a toothpick and a white cotton handkerchief. I am from a diva who got her chest carved out. I am from seven sweets and seven sours, and from a woman who stayed.

I want to reserve the right, like Kimberly, to play with this some more.  I hope you'll write one, too, and let me know about it.  It's good to know where you are from (oh god, I sound like Fred Rogers).

Comments

[Kimberly]

Lovely, nina. Goosebump inducing.

Both Fred at Fragments from Floyd and Melinama at Pratie Place are collecting links to these. I suggest that you, and anyone else who might want to play, leave a comment or send an email their way. Fred and Melinama both have wonderful blogs as well.

[M]

That's beautiful...I want to try it!

[GraceD]

Oh, this makes me want to weep, laugh, sing and eat sandwiches cut in triangles! Our life stories as prose/poem. Brilliant.

You so kindly stopped by my humble blog, and, as in days of old, I'm paying a call to you, woo woo chick. I'll pretend I brought a shoo fly pie. You pretend to make coffee. And now I will peruse your archives and linketh you.

Nina, I *curtsy* to you...

[terrilynn]

That was really wonderful.

[Lynda]

Nina, I related so very much to your post - especially the ponytails and daffodils. Thank you :-)

[Michele]

This is simply glorious. You have a poet's way with words and imagery.

[ellie]

I LOVE this, Nina. So much that I encouraged a bunch of people on a writing list I belong to and the outcome was unbelievably beautiful. One of the members even offered to print and bind them with her lovely illustrations. I may post mine on my blog, too. But for now just wanted to thank you for the heads up and tell you how much I enjoyed seeing you from the backwards-tunnel. --ellie