I’m from people of various colors,

a palette of brown, yellow, and white
A family in which blood and race have no importance

I’m from naps on the driveway in the summer and naps on the couch in the winter,
photos of both remind me how taxing it is to be three
cat naps with cats

I’m from anxiety attacks at dawn from age four on,
Buzzing in my ears, my pulse in my fingers, and my vision blurry
The feeling fluctuates but continues to return

I’m from dancing until my feet bled and joints ached,
critiquing each point of my toes and elongation of my neck
The bruises remain but they’re no longer visible

I’m from cutting my mom’s hair before it fell out,
her pretty pink scarves made up for her tired brown eyes
Chemo removes more than cancer

I’m from Shakespeare's words being read to me at twilight,
the iambic pentameter matching my heartbeat
My father’s voice reciting the literature until my eyes fell shut

I’m from early morning donut runs with my sister
The taste of frosting on my lips as we sang out to musical theater in the car,
only to come home and find our parents awaiting our arrival

I’m from snow on my lashes
With a pink painted nose and cheeks from Jack Frost’s games
the fun of it all is I didn’t want to play

I’m from long summer days at camp,
cold snow cones and hot campfires
The giggles and hollers echo in my head as I count down the days until it begins

I’m from the ocean
my heartbeat is the crash of the waves on the shore and the saltwater courses through my veins
Blue seas and skies consume my thoughts like a riptide