“I Am From” Lana

(Texas Tech University)

Abstract
My poem is a wrap up of my life. I choose to separate my poem into 4 different stanzas because there were four different times in my life. The first stanza is when I lived with my mom. I don’t have too many memories that I would like to share about this. The second one is when I went to live with my dad. This was when I saw the Mexican culture because I had to get up with my aunt early mornings to make my dad’s lunch and pack it for him. I have different cultural experiences because my mother is white and my father is Mexican. The third stanza is when I would go see my grandparents and the last one is when I got removed and placed in Child Protective Services. I have some experience living in a home that is not my own so this is also in the poem. My conclusion is one sentence long but I think is the most important part of the poem.

I am from…
I am from a woman addicted to drugs and booze who presented anger and fear
I am from a home full of animals
I am from staying up late nights with my sisters
I am from hamburger helper and corn

I am from a man who knew much hatred but showed a heart full of love instead
I am from waking up at 4:30 in the morning to pack a lunch for my dad
I am from homemade tamales on holidays
I am from dipped ice cream cones on Sundays

I am from grandma singing “Be careful little hands what you touch.”
I am from goin’ fishin’ with grandpa on Saturdays
I am from vanilla ice cream and vanilla wafer cookies before bed
I am from grandma kneeling by my bed saying our prayers

I am from a foster home that only offered loneliness
I am from strangers that showed true happiness
I am from a group home with many hurt girls
I am from a life time of sisters that understand

I am from broken families, blended together and a love that never fails.