I am from...poem

I am from...


I am from dishes,
from spaghetti and hamburger.
I am from the pale green farmhouse
now darkened and worn.


I am from the peonies,
the tree of paradise
whose far away limbs I remember
as if they were my own.


I'm from godly training and drive-in movies
from Mom... and Dad
I'm from UNO games and family dinners
and farming family land.


I'm from "Where is Susie?" and "Were you born in a barn?"  
and "You can do anything!"
I'm from birthday celebrations with lots of cake.
I'm from Wabash and England
homemade noodles and strawberry-rhubarb pie.
From Great Grandma Miller, sharing caramels,
living with my grandparents after losing three husbands.
Yearly photos
near the wood stove
showing how we grew.