Writing Project--Where I'm From

    In my workshop with the Milwaukee Writing Project, one of the presenters brought this powerful lesson for us to experience.  She used the poem "Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyon as a mentor text and had us brainstorm and write our own poems using that format.  I had tried this lesson before in my classroom, but did not do the work of experiencing it as a writer.  Needless to say it was not as successful as I had hoped it would be because I did not know what the hurdles would be for my students.   What a powerful experience writing this poem was.  I think that I would end up with a different poem every time I sat down to write.  So many small moments and experiences came back to me once I started writing.  I will definitely do this activity in my classroom this Fall and I know it will be much more successful because I now know how I need to support my students to make this writing accessible to them.

I had a chance for a quick first draft and now have gone back to revise it.  Here is the second draft of my poem (I would welcome any feedback):

I am from campfires,

from s’mores and lake swimming. 

I am from singing and baring

our souls in the moonlight.

I am from pop-up campers and motorhomes

From walking the dog through camp.

I am from wild raspberry sundaes

and Shish-ka-bobs on the grill.

I am from road trips

and stops along the way to Florida.

I am from visits to old friends

and arriving at Sea-Oats.

I am from drives with 

the sunroof open, blasting

Peter, Paul, and Mary.

I am from worry and pain.

Clutching chests and pacemakers

I am from don’t-stress-your-dad-out 

and don’t-worry-I’m-fine.

From reading in the dark with a flashlight

or hanging from my bed to get 

light from the hall.

I am from used book sales

and Nancy Drew

I am from Agatha Christie 

and The Adventures of Treehorn.

I am from cocktail hour with my Grandparents.

From liver sausage and cherries doled out 

from Brandy Manhattans. 

From 4th of July picnics at their house 

and weeks spent in Florida at their condo.

From Turkey loaf on Thanksgiving

with ice cream roll for dessert.

I am from marathon Monopoly 

that lasted all weekend.

I am from muted baseball games

and eating ice cream past my bedtime.

I am from The Music Man and Grease

from performances big and small.

I am from Little Mermaid and Dirty Dancing.

From belting out the songs with my sister.

I am from Sundays at church 

and midnight services on Christmas.

From youth group and choir

and funeral services too young.

I am from panic and loss 

From relationships strengthened

by tragedy. 

These defining moments wrap 

around me and give 

me the person 

who I am today.

I am from love 

I am from pain

I am from family.