Audrey's "I Am From"

I am from
I am from glass milk bottles,
From Nestles Flavor Sticks and five cent candy bars.
I am from the view of Mt. Rainier in the picture window
At 7443 South 128th Street,
with hardwood floors my father carefully laid
and covered with wall -to-wall carpet.
I am from the blueberry bushes transplanted from their Kent orchard home,
the cedar tree carefully smuggled in a paper sack as a seedling from Mt. Rainier National Park
whose long gone limbs I remember
as if they were my own.
I’m from summer vacations at the Frank L. Motel in Grayland and busy bees,
from Al and Rita,
I’m from cleaning on Saturdays and visiting grandparents after church on Sundays,
and from playing Bean Bag Toss at picnics.
I’m from “You love to tease and he loves to fight!” and “No!”,
and Moon River.
I’m from chicken barbecued on the rotisserie until crispy done.
I’m from Seattle and Germany
Shoo Fly Pie and clam fritters made from just dug razor clams,
From my grandfather Poppy’s prank of teaching me to plant lollipop sticks
and waking up to find new ones grown.
I’m from my grandmother’s scar on her neck
from where her goiter was removed.
I treasure my mother’s white satin wedding dress with the long train, dad’s army uniform, and my yellow little chickadee recital costume.
Digging deeper there is an afghan of colorful squares crocheted by my grandmother, Mimi, and a wedding quilt, hand stitched and filled with wool from the neighbor’s sheep.
There are baby dresses of the type that needed to be ironed and wool shorts with suspenders,
all tucked in the warm wood cedar chest in the basement bedroom and in my heart.

By Audrey White