I am from the fuzzy star blanket
and ragged yellow teddy bear
I could not and would not sleep without

To the frigid playroom in the basement
With the pink and purple power rangers
I played with in childhood

To the flop of my little brother
tripping over his arsenal of Nerf guns
whilst watching Harry Potter for the eighth time

To my Mom’s sweet carrots and warm brownies
to her tender loving care
like a warm blanket on a blustery winter night
Making the house its cleanest and happiest

To my Dad working all day to provide for Mom, Rob, and me
coming home to blast The Police and Van Halen into the night
A ray of sunshine at the end of a stormy day

To the brown house on the corner
with the splintery wooden porch
and the pool with the lingering scent of chlorine

This, is where I’m from
my own personal paradise