Monday, December 16, 2024

Poetry in Motion - Selfie



Written in the style of George Ella Lyon's "Where I'm From"
(Written as a model for student poetry)

Selfie
I am from white bread, leavened and unleavened.
From Campbell's tomato soup and Kraft cheese slices.

I am from the neighborhood cul-de-sac
and the backyard sandbox,
shaded, gritty
surrounded by poison sumac and ivy.

I am from the weeping willow
the apple orchard
where we climbed and gathered fruit
to can for the coming winter.

I am from baseball games and creative brains.
From brown moles and sunburns.
From Isadore and Edna.

I am from a family of readers and salted watermelon eaters.
From "You are beautiful," and "Yes, you can!"

I am from hot pastrami on rye and mayonnaise.
From Boney Maroney and Ting-tang-walla-walla-bing-bang.

I am from the District of Columbia, our nation's Capitol.
America, land of the free.

I am from the Mayflower and Ellis Island.
From EVERYTHING....sits on a Ritz
and a kid'll eat the middle of an oreo cookie.

I am from the sweet and savory.
From my grandma, Mary, who snored like a freight train.
And from the muscle of Spike who was named for a boxer.

I am from photo collages
and family albums
destroyed by Hurricane Andrew.
Moldy bromide, fading memories -
proof that life was real.
Now, I am from digital selfies that eat up gigabytes.

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