June 22, 2011

Where I'm From

I am from crayons left melting in the sun,
from Kool-Aid and tying a sheet to the box fan in the hallway.
I am from the scratchy Powder Puff Big Wheel tires on the pavement,
I am from Juniper Street, metal swing set in the backyard
from the big oak tree in the front
(so wide my brother used to pee on it and no one saw.)
I'm from Irish lullabies and stumpy cankle legs,
from Wilsons and Maynards and Hoovers and Riddles.
I'm from the grudge-holders
and the people pleasers
from the guess what? chicken butt and home again home again jiggity jig.
I'm from I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart
where!?
and baptism and believing and falling and receiving.
I'm from zucchini in a southern patch,
General Mills cereal with prizes inside.
From the family trip to the Rocky Mountains and I touched a cloud.
The time my grandmother called me thunder thighs (never forgot)
in sticky spiral album pages were birthday parties and family reunions
Polaroids with black marker "Stephie age 1"
my Raggedy Ann wallpaper 
crying when I turned twelve because I didn't want to ever turn thirteen
the canopy bed.
I am from that little girl, never knew she'd be big so fast
she had no clue and
I am glad.

I remember this "meme" from way back in my first year of blogging and all these years later thought I'd write one. Based on the original poem- Where I'm From by George Ella Lyons, found here and the template here if you want to make one, too. (Definitely come back and leave the link to yours in the comments.)
By Stephanie Precourt, Stephanie Precourt - 1:02 AM
tags: ,

60 comments:

  1. I was just sitting here trying to figure out what to write for tomorrow (if anything). I might try my hand at this. :) It's fun to find out where you're from.

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  2. "And if the devil doesn't like it he can sit on a tack. OUCH! Sit on a tack! OUCH! Sit on a tack...."

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  3. I'm from other brands of cereals, but I still really love this.

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  4. Wow! I don't know if I'm just getting old, or have blocked out my childhood, but this was kinda tough! I did it though. After I was finished I went and read the original! Goodness, that is SOME writing. :) Thanks for inspiring me, Steph!

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  5. I was just today thinking about this writing project, and was surprised to see it on your blog too. Wasn't it fun? I am going to post mine again, just for fun!

    Mary

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  6. Raggedy Anne wall paper?!! I would have loved that.

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  7. Linking up - Thank you for the inspiration to write!
    I too had raggedy Anne Wall paper and an "andy" doll whose hair blew away so I called him "oscar" lol

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  8. Mmm... I hear this little tune of sadness through the sweet memories. Maybe I'm projecting. Doesn't really matter, I suppose. That's what's so lovely about poetry.

    Maybe I'll have to write one of these, too. xo

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  9. It's beautiful. I love.

    And really? Juniper street? Could there be a more storybook street name?

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  11. So weird. I read two posts in the night on my phone while feeding Elsie. They were BOTH Where I'm From posts! And both of you said that you saw this meme a long time ago and decided to do it now.

    Maybe that's not that weird. I'm tired. :)

    Loved this.

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  12. Ha! I'm from Hoovers too!

    I loved this little piece, and now I want to do one as well...

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  13. I used to do this with my students during the first week of school every year!

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  14. Loooooove this and I'm so going to do it. And now I have joy joy joy joy down in my heart TO STAY in my head. :)

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  15. This is wonderful and perfect for you. I did it a few months ago after Heather form the EO had it on her blog. I just love it. It tells so much in not that many words. :)

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  17. I'm from Powder Puff Big Wheels and Big G cereals too.

    So honored to have read this and so grateful to Heather for having made the connection.

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  18. Love, love, love. This is really great.

    I've been brainstorming a "letters to my son" kind of thing to get me back into writing--I think this will make a perfect start. Love your blog, love Ivy's style. Beautiful family.

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  19. Ok, I posted it! I think I will keep reworking it as new thoughts come but that's it for now. Thanks for getting some creative juices flowing!

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  20. Oh now THIS is rad. Definitely need to give it a go.

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  21. i thought i said how much i loved this earlier, but i'm back again because i've been thinking about it so much today.
    i want to do this, but i feel like i need to hand write it out. looking forward to it. thanks for sharing.

    i love where you're from....especially because how it's made you who you are!

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  22. Brilliant. Thanks for the inspiration. I got the thunder thighs comment too, but from my mother. Here's mine: http://www.adventuresofabreastfeedingmother.com/2011/06/i-am-from.html

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  23. I love this! I wrote one too.
    http://beancircus.blogspot.com/2011/06/where-im-from.html

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  24. This is fabulous and was so inspiring for me!

    Here's mine:

    http://www.lovelifefamilyandthensome.com/2011/06/where-im-from.html

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  25. I am so glad you commented to me ~ my daughter has an appt with the neurologist this next week for something that looks like a seizure, but could be nothing. If it turns out to be something though...I am glad to have found you. :) oh, and cute outfit!

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  26. Loved this and learning more where you came from! Just did it myself, thought it was so fun to remember. :)

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  27. I love this SO much.

    I'm going to write my own, it will make me sound all writerly, and stuff. :)

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  28. Love this. Thank you for sharing! I may try it as well....

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  29. Okay! Here's mine.

    http://playgroupsarenoplaceforchildren.com/2011/06/23/where-im-from/

    This was such a fun exercise, thank you for showing us.

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  30. this made me cry, especially the last part. i am definitely going to make one too!! i have always loved your blog but finally (after 7 months with my own blog - before it was set to private as i'm rather shy) i'm leaving my first comment!

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  31. I love things like this that make me dig deep. I'm estranged from my family and it was therapeutic to find some of the nice things to remember instead of all the pain.

    Found you via Jennifer.

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  32. Oh I had fun doing this :)
    Here's mine http://scrapsofstarlight.blogspot.com/2011/06/where-im-from.html

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  33. This was great! I'm off to write one too..

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  34. I think I'm going through a sentimental time because this exercise made me cry! I loved reading your poem, thanks for sharing!

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  35. I LOVE this! I copied the template and posted my own poem on my blog...
    http://justamandaslife.blogspot.com/2011/06/where-im-from.html

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  36. Oh happy sigh.......

    The reading of those who have wrote one of these in the last day or so has been so refreshing. So inspiring.

    I even dug deep into my own memories and wrote my own.
    http://madalinesthemagnificentmayhemmaker.blogspot.com/2011/06/where-im-from.html

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  37. such a cool idea. i'll have to give it a shot.

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  38. This is great! Here's mine: http://jensthoughtsonnothinginparticular.blogspot.com/2011/06/in-which-i-write-poem.html

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  39. I adore this. I will do this myself, FOR SURE.

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  40. In all my five years of blogging, I have never seen such a better writing prompt! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  41. I had to write one too. Thank you for the inspiration! It was a very therapeutic experience for me.

    http://her.joshandrosemary.com/blog/where-im-from/

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  42. Love this!! Just did one too. I might do another one about harder memories but was happy with the little things that stood out and were included. Thanks for a great idea- I need to kickstart my writing again!

    www.littleboysaremadeof.blogspot.com

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  43. Hi Steph,
    Where I'm From really sparked my interest. That's saying a lot because this is my very first comment on a blog (except for a question about a recipe on a food blog because of 2 failed cakes - which doesn't count IMO.} -Blog sites & twittering is where I am NOT from - one day I may catch up with the times though :)
    I think I'll write myself a little poem now . . .

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  44. Thanks for the inspiration,k I loved this!

    http://www.peanutbutterinmyhair.com/2011/06/where-im-from.html

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  45. DesignHER Momma inspired me to do one of my own... it is so wonderful to read the many different ways people have interpreted this writing prompt. Here is mine if you are interested - Where I am From

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  46. Okay, I have to do one now.

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  47. http://shellycoulter.blogspot.com/2011/06/where-im-from.html

    This was fun! Thanks!

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  48. LOVE LOVE LOVE This! Here is mine: http://www.themenumom.com/where-im-from

    Thanks for sharing!

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  49. I love this, Stephanie. Yours is completely gorgeous (not that I'm surprised). I loved reading this and now, re-reading it, I like it even more. Gracious, I like you.

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  50. I love this so much. Here is mine: http://paradeofstories.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/where-im-from/

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  51. Okay, I played too this morning. http://www.emergingmummy.com/2011/06/in-which-this-is-where-im-from.html

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  52. I LOVE this!
    I came here from Sarah's. And, now I wrote my own.
    http://adamshome.blogspot.com/2011/07/where-im-from.htmll

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  53. I first read Sarah's (Emerging Mummy) version, and then landed here, both of which are just beautiful. Such warm imagery is evoked in pondering this "where I am from" idea... I love it. I couldn't resist and wrote my own (used the structure somewhat loosely). Thank-you for sharing!

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  54. Thanks so much for sharing this - I've read several of them, and just had to do my own:
    http://boredmommyblog.com/2011/07/05/this-is-where-im-from/

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  55. Thanks for sharing this writing exercise, Steph. I enjoyed reading yours...and so many others around the blogosphere. In fact, I think I may play along soon. :)

    P.S. "I've got the peace that passes understanding down in my heart..." I should start singing that verse of the song to my girls. (Heaven knows, I need to let that message soak in).

    stephanie@metropolitanmama.net

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  56. http://www.vanderbiltwife.com/2011/07/pieces-that-make-me.html

    Wonderful little pieces to reflect on! I enjoyed it.

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  57. I finally got around to writing my own. Thanks for the inspiration!

    http://shoutingforha.blogspot.com/2011/07/where-im-from.html

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  58. I finally had some time to do this...loved it.

    http://jenchic.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-am-from_22.html

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  59. It's a few months later, but I found this and just loved it. Thanks for sharing!

    megan

    http://www.thebohomama.com/2011/11/where-im-from.html

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  60. Thanks for sharing! :)
    http://embracingthespectrum.blogspot.com/2012/01/where-im-from-just-write.html

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