Where I’m From
By Ava McPartland
I am from seagrass,
from coconut and vanilla.
I am from Poppies
from Barney and Bean,
the moon and the sky.
I am from long drives
in the minivan,
a car that seemed to last forever.
The music whispers
as I drift off to sleep.
I am from the basket of recipes
tucked in the cupboard
filled with stained notecards
and memories
of cinnamon rolls, candied pecans,
and grandma’s chocolate pie.
I am from weekend business trips
spent waiting–
counting the minutes,
until he returns.
I am from nail-biters
and nervous-wrecks
From overthinkers
and water signs.
I am from origins unknown,
a past lost to the tides.
I am from an ocean of memories,
a sea of lost faces–
forever resurfacing–
like a message in a bottle.
