I am from...

From: 6/16/2007

I am from Anne and Leroy, Oak Street and Wayne Avenue
from Scranton and Hershey and the Lackawanna Valley
I am from abandoned coal mines and steel trains
From tree houses and swimming pools, snowmen and block parties.
I am from Holy Rosary, scranton Prep and a lifetime of school uniforms
I am from craziness and darkness, violence and fear
From Italians and Irish and tempers and drinking
I am from ballet, tap, and all that jazz
from painting and singing and roller skating in the basement
I am from rolling green hills, cold grey winters, and orange autumn trees
I am from pizza and pasta, cotton candy and canolis
I am from fireworks, the Philharmonic and Carvel ice cream
I am from dad hitting her, dad hitting him, dad hitting me
From waiting on the porch swing to flirt with the paperboy
from writing in my journal, collecting stickers, making up imaginary stories and playing with kittens.
I am from beauty pageants, dance recitals, plays and peforming
From Cadillacs, Jaguars, dirt bikes and go-carts
I am from yard sales, amusement parks, tire swings and sitting on dad's shoulders
from drugs and guns and flopping fish on the floor
I am from harshness and sickness, reeking wretched ilness
from bunny rabbits and pigtails, magic and puppet shows.
I am from broken glass, barbed wire fence and grranite tombstomes
From blue skies, fluffy whote clouds and sculptures of angels
I am from wilted weeds, untended grass and lots of dry earth
I am big lakes, hidden rivers and running streams
from lots of love and tears, heartbreak and struggle, happiness and sorrow