I am from homemade blankets,
Sony CD players, and Nickelodeon cartoons

I am from the bright yellow house,
the one my parents swore they’d always fix up
always full of people

I am a sunflower      
trying my best to keep standing tall   
no matter what the weight of the world hands me

I’m from the typical horror movie marathons, unique family
from Tammy and Jim
I hold the same passions as Athena, art and wisdom 
I’m from the silly, sassy, and spontaneous   

From “follow your heart”
and “don’t give up on anything you truly want”

I’m from my aunt’s second floor apartment,
futon and a shower that wasn’t also a bathtub
two crazy concepts for poor 8 year old me

I’m from the north,
fried everything
and a lot of corn

From always learning and exploring,
to laughing at the most inappropriate moments

Lives found in plastic boxes
stuffed away in closets,
like we’re trying to hide the past.

I am from keeping everything together,
smiling through the worst times,
thanking those who broke our hearts
because it shaped us into who we are now