Where I'm From: A Poetic Lineage

This week, my students have been working on the first stages of becoming great poets. Well, right off the bat, they have truly impressed me with their writing ability. As one of their first assignments, they were asked to write a "Where I'm From" poem. Unlike a geneology or family history, the poem goes far beyond who or where they are from. They were required to think about traditions, family norms, inside jokes, house-decor, and everything in between in order to demonstrate who they really are.
Below are a couple examples from 8-1. I will post poems from 8-2 tomorrow. (PS: the first poem was written in the form of a coffee mug...very cool. Unfortunately, I can't quite display that here).

Poems from 8-1 students:

The Cup of Coffee
by S.M.

I am from a cup of coffee
My life, sometime bitter; sometimes sweet
If you add more sugar the coffee gets sweeter
I am from the milk that lightens up
The great smell eliminates the bad odor for good
I am from the cup that receives all these things
But yet I still stand
I am from the water that rinses out the remains
I am from the soap that brings shine into play
From the base that is there to bring support
From the handle that will give you and extra hand
The contents come and go
New ones will come much different than the previous ones
I am from the cup that will be ready
But yet I will still stand


Where I'm From...
by J.R.

I am the MESS
that makes up my house,
the open books,
the DVDs
I am the barbeque pit
the shared meals
I am the family

I am the herb gardens
failed tomato plants
bean sprouts, carrot plant
I am the peach tree
the peach pits,
unpicked weeds,
that haven't the concience still

I am the new.
Of bonds forged
the Reyes' and Silvas'
a family plan
I am the seed
of a new tree grown

I am of the
better late than never clan
a shared mentality
of family unity
and I am the family's all;
a certain type
of bond that joins us all

I am tamales shared
together cooked,
together eaten,
I am carne asada
all for one andoneforall
I am Christmas cookies
made with love
too much sugar
and 'secret' recipes

Most of all,
I am from never lost memories
hopes and dreams
Guatemala
of lonely travels;
I am from...
I am from my family,
I am their love,
I am from
everything and anything
that has ever been
in my heart


Untitled
by A.M.

I am from a dirt road
One just outside of town
I am from the infinite fields
The fields that stretch on
I am from that helpful tree,
The one that destroyed many lives
The one that caused a loss but embraced a love
I am from that brave traveler
Who crossed that line for family and freedom
I am from the ashes of celebration
that almost could have turned me into ash
I have come from that square,
The empty one that is full of conversations
But over all, I am from a dream
the dreams of a child in 1979