Your true colours

I am from my piano,

from Yamaha and Hewlett Packard.

I am from the grey bungalow with the big backyard and the service station across the street. Tidy, cute; the scent of gasoline.

I am from the diefenbachia, lily, rainbow, the willow, rose, rock. Grey and speckled, hard and rough, both smooth and jagged by turn, with tiny flecks of bright gold.

I’m from big Christmas gatherings and type A personalities,

from Ruth and Jan.

I’m from hard working overachievers, and exhibits of strength, faith, and hope through adversity,

From "clean your room" and "your brother and sister never fought like this".

I’m from God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit. The three-in-one. Baptist.

I’m from Scotland by nature, but elsewhere by nurture,

From frozen turkeys and barbecued hamburgers.

From the bright but uneducated businessman who owned his own service station, and then went back to school as an adult, changing his path through intense hard work, because what he really wanted was to teach highschool.

And from the addict. A man who loved to skydive, who one day spontaneously combusted and ended it all with one shot.

Photos in boxes and albums; some in scrapbooks, slideshows, quilts, and various frames. China cabinets with pretty glass and crystal, and chests of drawers containing writing and childrens' artwork. Cabinets on an acreage and computerized family trees. Treasures in every cupboard. My past, my present, my future. Every bit of it precious, priceless, and irreplaceable.

I am from my piano.

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The above was inspired by my friend, The Morgan. Apparently, it was a proposed school assignment from a teacher's website originally entitled "Where I'm From" ... and I'd love to read yours too. So follow the structure and create a poem. Let me know how it turns out.

Edited Sept 15/08:

I have now learned that the original "Where I'm From" poem and form is by George Ella Lyon. Visit her site, and you can read the original version and listen to the audio, as well as find some other resources for writing. (And maybe even get her to give a workshop at your child's school!)

I am from (specific ordinary item),

from (product name) and (product name)

I am from the (home description). (adjective, adjective; sensory detail.)

I am from the (plant, flower, natural item), the (plant, flower, natural item)

description of the natural item).

I’m from (family tradition) and (family trait),

from (name family member) and (another name).

I’m from the (description of family tendency) and (another),

From (something you were told as a child) and (another).

I’m from (representation of religion -or lack of it) further description).

I’m from (family ancestry),

From and (two food items representing your family).

From the (specific family story about a specific person and a detail).

the (another detail of another family member)

(Location of family pictures, mementos, archives and several more lines indicating their worth).