Where I'm From

I found this little exercise on another blog that I follow, "She". 

Check it out--her blog is listed on the right sidebar of my blog.

She got the template from another blog

(I'll leave the address at the end of my post). It's a writing exercise to

describe "where you're from".  I found it kind of tricky and it took me

quite a while to finish it because I have a difficult time working in the abstract.

I hope you enjoy this, and don't be afraid to get the

template and try it yourself.

WHERE I'M FROM

I am from city streets and elevated trains,

from NY pizza and Italian bakeries.

I am from often silent and lonesome, dimly lit, 

sometimes echoing hallways, hallways with many doors

leading to apartments, staircases and elevators.

I am from the privet hedges, green grasses, & landscaped yards,

the window boxes, roses & grasses growing up tenaciously

through sidewalk cracks.

I am from fresh Mozzarella cheese, summer Sundays at the lake,

from Frank and Florence and Uncle Johnny.

I am from weekly spaghetti dinners and open-faced

grilled cheese sandwiches as a special treat.

From don't talk to strangers, look before you cross

the street and be home before dark.

I am from going to Sunday School at the Methodist Church around the corner,

Jesus died for my sins, salvation is given to those who seek it. 

From being the minority white girl in a primarily "colored" church.

From not even knowing how to read the hymns in the hymn book.

From one set of grandparents who were deaf mutes

and lived in Washington, DC most of my life,

and another set of grandparents I never knew because

they lived in Maine and died before I was born.

From English heritage on one side by way of Canada and

Italian heritage on the other side, long walks around city streets with friends,

hanging out at the park listening to quartets of guys singing on the

street corners, getting my ears pierced when I was 16

before it was really "in", riding the public bus to school and spending

an occasional summer Saturday afternoon riding the Staten Island Ferry.

(address for template: http://www.swva.net/fred1st/wif.htm)