i am from ice skates and shadows

A poem I did for Freshman English class.

 I am from treble clefs on liquid silver

theatre tickets, ice skates, and failed scripts
chicken – scrawl on stained white paper
hidden out of sight again and again and again

I am from that dusky, feathery comfort of tree forts in winter
the witching hour of tabby cats and coyotes
and raspberries, burnt by sun, that linger for no longer than a day

I am from steep rock walls and nettles
silent waves of grayish water lapping over not – so – soft sand
and the frustrating shade of tree branches that block sun and snow

 

I am from gagging on wasabi snuck under seaweed
Yorkshire pudding and alfredo and sugared crepes
and asking whether there’s cilantro in the fajitas

 

I am from Is this that song in West Side Story?
When are you coming home again, daddy?
and Since when are we going to London?!

 

I am from the creak of a new book’s spine
of staring at the ceiling and thinking ‘what next?’
and the chiming of the invisible clock that means another hour’s gone

 

I am from making up someone new, whose paper heart contains a grain of truth
more thumbtacks on the walls, more circles around familiar names
and somehow, that twilight zone of dreaming when magic is possible

 

I am from a hospital bed in the ICU that I have never seen in my life
Davy Crockett, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and yes, Shadow, you too
and wondering whether traveling in a plane really does make you younger.

Author's Note

There was a pretty specific prompt for this one, but I think it turned out more or less how I wanted. It's old, but I thought I'd put it up as a first-time post.

Reviews

[Jetta Zippora]

Wow! Beautiful!

[Satchmo's Gal]

I am from treble clefs on liquid silver
theatre tickets, ice skates, and failed scripts
chicken � scrawl on stained white paper
hidden out of sight again and again and again

This is so much like me it isn't funny. I love it! Brilliant write.

[Althea Tremaine]

Not bad at all. Great job. I love the way the words carry you until the very end.

A hint of modern and classic.

[Angel Baby]

Truly enjoyed your write, captivated me....thank you!