Where I'm From

Influenced by George Ella Lyon, Dr. Beth Frye, and growing up visiting Hiawassee, GA.

If you’re a teacher, you may have heard of George Ella Lyon’s beautiful poem, “Where I’m From” (http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html) . As she recounts her childhood through family, food, nature, and sayings she heard as a girl, you get a sense of who she is, not just where (the location) she is from. When I was in graduate school, one of my favorite professors, Dr. Beth Frye, introduced us to this poem, had us write our own, and had us practice creating a lesson using this poem as a mentor text. I have taught this poem and have had students write their own versions of the “Where I’m From” poem every year and, every year, I am beyond amazed with the poems that come out the adolescent brains of my 7th graders. There is magic to this type of writing, as we use it to recount our memories that make us who we are.

Ok, Ok, I will get to the poem! However, I just wanted to note that, growing up visiting North GA / Western NC, I NEVER thought I would end up actually living here; but here I am, nestled in these mountains with a heart full of joy.

I come from scenic overlooks

from 6 hour car rides from the flat landed suburbs of North Carolina

to the majestic Appalachian Mountains

rolling before me, making me believe that I was in a land far, far away

when I was really just a state over.

I come from crowded family Thanksgivings

familiar family piling into Great Grandmother’s cozy home

where warmth, hugs, music, and food were in abundance,

but there was NO talk of sex, politics, or religion (minus blessing our food & the cook)

I come from hay bales on higher ground

lifting me up to see the mountain vista that would forever

capture my heart.

I am from “maters” & “taters”

from, “fetch me that spoon over yonder”,

from Uncle Jack’s sarsaparillas

and peppermint moonshine in teaspoons when I was sick

I am from hot July afternoons spent at the GA Mountain Fair

the scorching, sunbaked seats of the rides at the Midway burning my thighs

in cut-off jeans

I am from green bean stringin’ and from cornbread soppin’

from biscuits and gravy

and from fresh and fried veggies

I am from settin’ the table for family dinners

my heart full of mountain magic and love

for all that surrounded me.