Writing Me: Where I’m From {Stephanie}

I am from crayons left melting in the sun,
from Kool-Aid and tying a sheet to the box fan in the hallway.

I am from the scratchy Powder Puff Big Wheel tires on the pavement,
I am from Juniper Street, metal swing set in the backyard

from the big oak tree in the front

(so wide my brother used to pee on it and no one saw.)

I’m from Irish lullabies and stumpy cankle legs,
from Wilsons and Maynards and Hoovers and Riddles.
I’m from the grudge-holders
and the people pleasers
from the guess what? chicken butt and home again home again jiggity jig.
I’m from I’ve got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart
where!?
and baptism and believing and falling and receiving.

I’m from zucchini in a southern patch,
General Mills cereal with prizes inside.
From the family trip to the Rocky Mountains and I touched a cloud.
The time my grandmother called me thunder thighs (never forgot)
in sticky spiral album pages were birthday parties and family reunions

Polaroids with black marker “Stephie age 1”
my Raggedy Ann wallpaper

crying when I turned twelve because I didn’t want to ever turn thirteen
the canopy bed.
I am from that little girl, never knew she’d be big so fast

she had no clue and

I am glad.

Stephanie Precourt journals her daily life with four kids at her blog, Adventures In Babywearing, and also writes parenting news at Strollerderby and NWIparent Magazine. This past spring she directed and produced a Listen To Your Mother show, featuring live readings about motherhood.

 

Writing Me is a community writing project. We’d love to have you join us.