Where I’m From
Derived from George Ella Lyon’s 1993 poem
I am from Ajax,
from floor mops and cleaning cloths
I am from the holes punched in the wall
(Gaping, unsightly,
unhappy fractions and the tastes of blood)
I am from the blackberry bush,
the elderberry tree
whose leaves nestled the busy blackbirds
and the thorns that bled my tiny thumbs
I’m from dictionaries and Bibles
from Angela and Miriam
I’m from the wounded poor soldiers
and the damaged tin souls
from Be Quiet and You Haven’t Done it Properly
I’m from Be Still And Know That I Am God
with the loving tender Lamb
from saying the entire Lord’s Prayer
I’m from Zachariah and Contursi
dumpling stew and meringue pie
From my father missing his father,
to my grandmother leaving my mother
In a pretty paisley box, packed safely away are the only photos I have from my life
so many years I lost
so many memories of happiness
memories of love
these memories I smile at — of my beautiful love
***
Dedicated to my darling daughter
*Where I'm From has been published in my poetry chapbook: In Search of My Soul here
© Chantal Weiss 2025. All Rights Reserved
George Ella Lyon’s poem — Where I’m From here
About the Creator
Chantal Christie Weiss
I write memoirs, essays, and poetry.
My self-published poetry book: In Search of My Soul. Available via Amazon, along with writing journals.
Tip link: https://www.paypal.me/drweissy
Chantal, Spiritual Badass
England, UK
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Comments (4)
So raw, so real, and so beautifully painful 💔📸🍇. Every line feels like a memory pressed between the pages of time 📖🕰️. From blackberry thorns to paisley boxes, your words echo generations of love, loss, and resilience 🌿🕊️. Truly moving — your daughter is lucky to have such a legacy of strength and soul ❤️👩👧🌟.
Love the way you owned all the feelings by writing it: I am. It makes it so poetic and relatable. Great Poem!
Awesome to read
This is absolutely stunning. The way you weave memory, place, and pain with beauty and love is powerful beyond words. Each line feels like it's breathing — full of loss, but also rich with deep affection and identity. The imagery is vivid and intimate, and your voice carries such honesty. Thank you for sharing something so personal and profound. It stays with you long after reading.