Where I’m From
A poem
I’m from jealousy between friends,
My hair tugged,
My toys stolen,
“But it’s your fault,” they said.
My face slapped,
My mom insulted,
But I was too weak to fight back.
I’m from playgrounds and swings,
See-saws and carousels,
Dragon roller-coasters
So much fun with friends
Who ceased to be friends.
I’m from the lantern festival, mooncakes,
Playing cards with my cousins,
Watching the fireworks outside my aunt’s window.
Grandma’s rice and steamed fish,
Us hiding in my aunt’s room again,
Where my cousin was sweet but couldn’t speak.
She was autistic,
And so was I.
I’m from unstable friends,
Who say one thing but mean another.
Veiled threats and treacheries,
Girls whispering amongst themselves,
Excluding me from their secrets.
They teased me daily,
Accusing me of liking some boy or another.
I was terrified to go to school,
Crying, but they wouldn’t stop.
They say childhood is a wonderful, nostalgic place.
But I’m far happier as an adult.
Thank you for reading! This poem is in response to a prompt by
Debra G. Harman, MEd., and modeled on George Ella Lyon’s poem Where I Am From.
Originally published in Imogene's Notebook on Jan 7, 2024.
