Here is a special poem, for a troubled time. Please send in poems for this project on where you are from during the Corona, and where you want to be…Our statement of goals follows the new poem.
Where I Am From (Pandemic/Quarantine Version)
By Christine Gautreaux 4/19/2020
I am from a container garden on the back patio & the raised bed in the yard.
From Clorox Bleach Wipes, Fabuloso and Tostada Tortilla Chips.
I am from the tall white & green house with wide & skinny front porch
currently covered in yellow pollen.
I am from Amaryllis Bulbs – Red, beautifully blooming,
transplanted from my late Nanny’s farm.
I am from 2000 piece jigsaw puzzles & competitive laughter.
From my daughters, Alex & Sammie.
From, “It’s past time to wake up” & “Go outside & Soak up the Sun!”
I’m from the labyrinth at sunrise & backyard fires at night.
I’m originally from Texas but quarantined in Duluth, GA
four states away.
From Tex-Mex tacos, good gravy & Gluten-free air fried chicken.
From the mask and glove covered husband who goes out into the CDC to install, teach people how to use & repair the scientific machines that may get us through this disease.
From the senior in high school who is resilient, yet still crying over so many losses
including prom, senior shows & graduation – she turns 18 next week.
I am from the selfies, the flower photos & the funny memes we are storing in the cloud as they bring us joy, laughter and hope during this time of the pandemic.
| Christine Gautreaux, MSW Coach, Author, Speaker, Workshops, Wisdom On Wings Coaching She/Her |
The I AM FROM PROJECT
–a way to celebrate diversity at a time when our country is divided by hatred and fear
We want to be heard, not herded; we want to speak, not be spoken at or for; we want to break through stereotypes, profiling, and dismissal to be listened to in our full humanity.
Our central goals:
*To help people of all ages and backgrounds use the “Where I’m From” poem as a prompt to write about experiences that shape them.
*To bring these voices together in community.
*To get them heard locally.
*To create a national river of voices, reminding America that diversity is our origin and our strength.
While the first medium in our workshop is writing, we encourage people to take the prompt wherever their art leads them.
Invent your own ways of working with groups, classrooms, community and senior centers, libraries, and other gathering places. Let us know what you’re doing.
At iamfromproject.com you can
Find suggestions and resources for teaching, organizing and writing on the theme of “Where I’m From”
Find ideas for “Where I Am Going” and other list poems
Explore the poems published on the website from around the country and beyond
See where this theme of our great diversity has lead others, from videos to artwork to photography (in Resources).
Help us expand the river of voices. Send your I Am From poems and other creations to: http://iamfromproject@gmail.com
Find us on Facebook at iamfromproject
Meanwhile, we’ll be exploring ways to reach a national audience.
George Ella Lyon and Julie Landsman
I Am From Project 