Oliver and Brianna have sent in some great poems to begin the school year..images, sounds, smells, feelings…all of it! Thank you poets!

I Am From

Brianna Bichler

I am from pens and pencils 

from dryer sheets and Gatorade

I am from the close-knit and warm, small, quiet but somehow loud 

I am from daisies; quaint, simple, but beautiful

I am from lighting candles while singing happy birthday and curly hair

From Melissa and Brad

I am from the arguing, yelling, and miscommunication and the many apologies 

From being told that mom has eyes in the back of her head and that it was illegal to turn the lights on in the car at night 

I’m from believing in God, with no specific religion 

I’m from St. Cloud and Germany, hot dish and watermelon 

From the sister developing epilepsy and seeing our family watch her as she struggles to come to term with it. 

The unexpected and quick death of our grandmother 

Running along the walls of the bedroom hallway

I am from the memories hanging in the house and from each and every family member’s heart 

I am From

Oliver Hickman

I am from rolls of film

From Play-Doh and Lego

I am from the sticks in the backyard

sword-like, wand-like, sometimes grimy

I am from a blackberry bush

That was picked into many pies

I’m from movie nights and asthma

From Curt and Deb

I’m from artists and smartasses

From “don’t be angry” and “why don’t you tell me how you’re feeling?”

I’m from Catholics, deconstructed

I’m from Nebraska, Norway, and the Philippines

tofu, cinnamon rolls

From the kitten my brother and father found in the engine of the car

The Bells Palsy of my sister

gathering dust in two basements

with nothing passed down except a computer