I Am From

Prompted by an a school assignment my daughter had at school

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am from big sky cowboy country

Where life is simple and hard at the same time

I am from poor but prideful people

with calloused hands and a work ethic

I am from smells of sawdust, cherry pipe tobacco, fresh baked bread and butterscotch candies

I am from handmade Christmas

I am from broken promises and sexual abuse

I am from wanting a better life

but also appreciating what I have

I am from a simple shack with no running water and learning to cook on a wood stove

I am calico quilts and crocheted slippers

I am from piano lessons and being a book worm

I am from southern baptist gospel music when mamma had the blues, banjo pickin’ and western swing on the weekends

I am from family birthday parties

 and singing ‘round the campfire

I am sledding on an upside down car hood

and swimming in the river

I am from running to the outhouse in the winter in bare feet

I am from learning to play the saxaphone on the river bank

I am from late night Johnny Carson and vanilla icecream

Homemade jam, sourdough pancakes

 and small town living

I am from fresh cut hay, bottle feeding baby lambs

 and warm milk strait from the cow

I am from being afraid to sleep at night

and sweeping secrets under an imaginary rug

I am from mealtime prayers, rodeos, handmade, home grown, making do, and doing without

I am from flannel nightgowns, staying home, clicking needles and renting the movies and vcr too

I am from hunting for deer and sage chickens,

fresh caught fish and home made candy

I am from earning my own way,

 dancing barefoot in the kitchen and singing

I am from escaping in my music and books, accepting things I cannot change and hand-me-downs

I am from big sky cowboy country

Where life is simple and hard at the same time

Reviews

[Liza]

an intimate piece of where our journey lead us and how we decided for it to shape us - the contrasts of experiences balanced in this expression - enjoyed very much - thank you for sharing.

[Goodbye]

I just love this, you can almost taste and smell the cherry tobacco and homemade candy...this is so vivid I can see the big Wyoming sky, I'm just experiencing all these things that make up you and your world. Excellently written, and into my favs.

You are an amazing writer.

[NoneOfYourBusiness akaK..]

I am embracing your history~ deeply moves the soul~

[Robin]

poetry like this is opening that treasure chest we call "you"

[luciddreamer]

Oh man, I felt like I was floating...your words are so so powerful....thank you, thank you, thank you....I so needed this today.....beautiful, sad, beautiful poem :)