Where We’re From……

For the month of April, National Poetry month, students had the opportunity to contribute to a poem. Posters placed around the site asked questions like: What would you save from a burning building? What is a smell you recall from childhood? What is your dream for your future?, etc. Here are some of the many answers to these questions. Thanks to all who contributed to describing where we’re from.

A pdf version of the poem can be downloaded here.

A poem composed by students of CCV Burlington (Spring, 2006).

We are from the stars and moon and sunrise and big city lights at night.
From Grandma’s rosebushes, a tree by the brook, cornfields and fog.
We are from dogs in the creek and the beaver smacking his tail.
From birdhouses, farmstands, tents and the fire pit.
We are from waterfalls, wet mud, rainbow, and snowflakes.

We are from Rush cd’s, magic cards, golf clubs, and George Bush action figures,
From laptops, diaries, paintings, photos, and videos,
And from childhood teddy bears, pets, and handicapped siblings.

We are from our dogs: Ares, Bear, Chance, Denver, Diesel Dog, Maya, Mooch and Muffin.
Hootie, Spufer, Thunder, Foxy, Spunky, Shadow, and Mokey;
Leo, Tessa, Sammy, Sebastian, Logan,
and Wanda, the Bearded Lady.
And we are from our cats: Magic, Gizmo, Peewee, and Bootsie;
Bud, Sabrina, Molly and Fats;
White Paws and Pumpkin Pants; Chestnut and Cirrus and Stormy.
Lady Jane, Papa Joe and Pretty Girl Blue and Kit (of course).
We are from Herbetta, the guinea pig, Ziggy, the iguana
and all our other beloved pets.

We are from the scents of grandmother’s spice cabinet, freshly cut grass, burning leaves, and spring rain,
Cedar chests, cow manure, clothes dried outside, saltwater, incense, and bread baking.
We are from baby powder, lilacs, bubble gum, patchouli oil and Christmas trees.

We are from Ben, Nana Kandice, Henry Chung, and Mrs. Melville,
From Stanizi, Matthew James, Edwina, Demira, and Elizabeth West.

We are from Willey’s Hill, Polly Wog Pond, Riverside Park, and Mill Pond.
From porches, graveyards and outdoor rock concerts,
And from China Town, Johnny Appleseed’s farm, Santa’s land and Yankee Stadium.

We are from friendship, honesty, hope, humility, independence, and love; doing everything that is important, not just one thing, and being true to yourself,
And from livable wages, peace, spirituality, wisdom, knowledge and education; to teach through love, not fear.

We are from “Buttons to my friends”, “Rad!”, “You’ll pass in a crowd”, and “The kitchen is closed”.
From “The truth shall set you free”, “The claw of the sea-puss gets us all in the end”, and “Quit rutsching schnickelfritz”.
And we’re from “Home again, home again riggity jig”.

We are from corned beef and cabbage, sausage and peppers, pasta and meatballs, beans ‘n franks, pigs in a blanket.
We are from frozen mixed veggies with lima beans on the side.
We are from pierogies, lasagna, beef Stroganoff, Shepherd’s pie, and curried chicken, breaded pork chops, Chinese food, lasagna, macaroni and cheese, and chicken soup made a dozen different ways.
And we are (sweetly) from Whoopee pies, Italian ice, fruit stollen, chocolate pudding, and popsicles.

We are from The House at Pooh Corner, The Wizard of Oz, The Snowman, Where the Wild Things Are, The Boxcar Children, Narnia, Curious George, and Where the Sidewalk Ends.
From Splash, Big, The Outsiders, Benji, Free Willy, Titanic, Jackie Chan, Fried Green Tomatoes, Paper Moon, Forrest Gump, Rocky, Born Free and Thelma & Louise.
And from Bugs Bunny, Lassie, Gumby, The Wonder Years, Little Rascals, Garfield, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Popeye, and Beavis & Butthead.

We are from our dreams of being a firefighter, an obstetrician, a race car driver, a professional hockey player, an artist,
An actor, a choreographer, a lion tamer,
A veterinarian, a social worker, a rock ‘n roll musician, a movie star, a comic book writer,
A mother, a healer, a teacher, the first woman president.
We are from our dreams to be happy, to be a good person, to change the world, to touch the sky.