I Am From | Teen Ink
  1. Home
  2. Poetry
  3. Free Verse
  4. I Am From

I Am From MAG

July 29, 2008
By WriterDancerLover GOLD, Fontana, California
More by this author
WriterDancerLover GOLD, Fontana, California
15 articles 1 photo 25 comments
View profile

I am from
My green blankey and
Climbing out of my crib
From playing mermaid in the bathtub.

I am from walking my dog,
And the noise he made when I step on his tail.

I am from my sheep nightlight
And Blue’s Clues and the Berenstain Bears.
I am from spinning until
I can’t tell where I am and
Seeing the world upside-down.

I am from long days at school
And hurrying home to watch Pokémon.
From chocolate-chip cookies at
Grandma’s house.

I am from July days in the pool
And running through the sprinklers.
From my imaginary friends and
The games we used to play like
Doctor and patient and teacher and student.

I am from trips to the grocery store
And that time I fell out of the cart onto the
Sticky linoleum floor.

I am from the tap tap tap
Of my tap shoes that one week
That I decided to be a dancer.
I am from trying new things.

I am from rainy days
And board games,
Saturday cartoons and Cheerios.

I am from walks on the beach
And the sand on my feet,
And not wanting to go home after vacation.

I am from Barbies and Polly Pockets
From playing with my sister,
The other half of me.

I am from books and flashlights
And pens and paper.
From silence to screaming.

I am from tears on my pillow
And unanswered cries.
From holding your hand
And that look in your eyes.

I am from past and present
And dreams of the future.
I am from hard work and
Harder play.
And I am from writing down my thoughts
On a midsummer’s day.

© Philip J., Diamond Bar, CA

The author's comments:
Recently I was thinking a lot about the good old days when i was just a little kid. This piece is mainly about some of my favorite things about my childhood, and it truly shows how i got where i am now.
Post a comment
Submit your own

Similar Articles

Previous Next
Poetry
Doll House Living
By sgrace SILVER
West Chester, Pennsylvania
sgrace SILVER, West Chester, Pennsylvania
5 articles 22 photos 18 comments
View profile
Poetry
Cracked vase
By Dale CROUCH PLATINUM
JOPLIN, Missouri
Dale CROUCH PLATINUM, JOPLIN, Missouri
29 articles 9 photos 0 comments
View profile
Poetry
Secret Crush
By C.J.H. BRONZE
Benciao City, Taipei County, Other
C.J.H. BRONZE, Benciao City, Taipei County, Other
4 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"Sometimes the world tries ot knock it out of you. But I believe in music the way that some people believe in fairy tales." August Rush(2007)

View profile
Poetry
Praying for October
By Poe_poe SILVER
DeMotte, Indiana
Poe_poe SILVER, DeMotte, Indiana
7 articles 0 photos 0 comments
View profile
Poetry
Hanging leaves
By niceenouf PLATINUM
Garfield, New Jersey
niceenouf PLATINUM, Garfield, New Jersey
26 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"As we move on, you forget, we both move on, with no regret."

View profile
Poetry
"Story of a Mother"
By Suzie17 GOLD
West Monroe, Louisiana
Suzie17 GOLD, West Monroe, Louisiana
19 articles 0 photos 29 comments
View profile

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 357 comments.

Lanielee BRONZE said...
on Feb. 25 2011 at 1:40 pm
Lanielee BRONZE, Clemons, Iowa
1 article 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is forbidden to kill; therefore all Murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets. -Voltaire

View profile
I love your poem, It was Great!!!
greenday21luvsbilliejoe said...
on Feb. 16 2011 at 1:42 pm
greenday21luvsbilliejoe, New Sweden, Maine
0 articles 0 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
I Need To Start To Be Myself, Cause' I'm Sick Of Everyone Else- Broken Man- Boys Like Girls

View profile
hey WriterDancerLover! i loved this piece to pieces!! and i was just wondering if i had your permission to recite it at a school speech contest?? i have been looking for a poem for a long time and i really love this poem. So do I have your permission? and if i do, can you tell me your first name so that i can say who it's by? u r an amazing writer and if you say no thats okay too
WriterGeek<3 said...
on Jan. 31 2011 at 9:51 pm
I know! Some childhood things are just so similiar! I loved the same books etc. :)
WriterGeek<3 said...
on Jan. 31 2011 at 9:50 pm
This touched me Imagine looking at everyone and seeing there story. I enjoyed hearing yovery deeply. I remember when I was a little girl. So much has shaped me. urs.
goodjobbob said...
on Jan. 19 2011 at 11:39 am

I think that you did a spectaculiar job on this poem! very good! :0

fivestar4987529 said...
on Jan. 19 2011 at 11:39 am
this is a very meaningful poem and i really like it.
jemter GOLD said...
on Jan. 15 2011 at 8:15 pm
jemter GOLD, Oakley, California
14 articles 36 photos 33 comments
View profile
I wrote almost the same poem! actualy, it's so exact that its scary...
AelitaReloaded PLATINUM said...
on Jan. 15 2011 at 6:11 pm
AelitaReloaded PLATINUM, Scottsdale, Arizona
22 articles 0 photos 179 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The pen is mightier than the sword&quot; author unknown (to me)

View profile
So true!  We are all products of our childhoods!  Hey, will everyone please check out my new poem?
SkyLane PLATINUM said...
on Dec. 30 2010 at 2:59 pm
SkyLane PLATINUM, Scituate, Massachusetts
25 articles 0 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
never regret anything that once made you smile.

View profile
I love this (: Memories are so important to me, and this is just beautiful. Gave me goosebumps! Keep writing!
CourtneyJ GOLD said...
on Dec. 11 2010 at 8:44 pm
CourtneyJ GOLD, Columbia, South Carolina
17 articles 11 photos 7 comments
View profile
This reminds me of my childhood of watching Blue's Clues and being with grandma. Miss the good ole days!
SpringRayyn PLATINUM said...
on Dec. 11 2010 at 11:01 am
SpringRayyn PLATINUM, Lakeville, Minnesota
34 articles 2 photos 658 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Don&#039;t punish yourself,&quot; she heard her say again, but there would be punishment and pain, and there would be happiness too. That was writing.&quot;<br /> --Markus Zusak, &quot;The Book Thief&quot;

View profile
Oh, these kinds of poems are so much fun! I like to just look around my bedroom and find random things to write into it, but I think this is better than just that because it actually shows things that got you to where you are now.
WriterDancerLover GOLD said...
on Dec. 11 2010 at 1:38 am
WriterDancerLover GOLD, Fontana, California
15 articles 1 photo 25 comments
View profile
Oh, I understand what she means now. However, I do think that many people forget that poetry doesn't always have to be about inner demons and the very core of a being. I simply wrote this poem during a very sad time in my life in which I needed to remember what made me happy. I wrote this for me, and when I realized what joy it reminded me of in my life, I thought I might as well share it. Never did I dream that people would like it and vote for it and that it would stay so popular for two years.
WriterDancerLover GOLD said...
on Dec. 11 2010 at 1:35 am
WriterDancerLover GOLD, Fontana, California
15 articles 1 photo 25 comments
View profile
I get a lot of comments about the "teacher scene." =] I actually just wrote it straight from my mind, without knowing it was such a popular subject.
WriterDancerLover GOLD said...
on Dec. 11 2010 at 1:33 am
WriterDancerLover GOLD, Fontana, California
15 articles 1 photo 25 comments
View profile
Thank you for the comment! My sister truly is the other half of me. We're identical twins. I'll make sure to check out your poetry. God bless.
WriterDancerLover GOLD said...
on Dec. 11 2010 at 1:32 am
WriterDancerLover GOLD, Fontana, California
15 articles 1 photo 25 comments
View profile
I think that is a common mistake of teenage writers. We tend to think that poetry has to be about extreme subjects and darkness, or we think it has to be mushy and overdone. However, I wrote this poem because it was a time in my life when I needed to remember what joy felt like. Sometimes, the point of poetry is simply to create a life for the author. I wrote this poem for myself, and posted it on a whim. I feel blessed that it has been on the top so many times. I appreciate your honest comment as well, even though you phrased it so rudely.
spiritualrevelationrevealspainandrevolution PLATINUM said...
on Dec. 2 2010 at 11:34 pm
spiritualrevelationrevealspainandrevolution PLATINUM, Eugene, Oregon
23 articles 0 photos 212 comments
View profile
she means dig deeper, you just wrote down some random events in your life that must have stood out. what do you stand for/believe/fight for/love/inner demons, stuff like that is a lot more powerful.
spiritualrevelationrevealspainandrevolution PLATINUM said...
on Dec. 2 2010 at 11:29 pm
spiritualrevelationrevealspainandrevolution PLATINUM, Eugene, Oregon
23 articles 0 photos 212 comments
View profile
how does this get to the top? ive seen great poems about wars, poverty, anorexia, inner demons on this site all written artfully and with meaning and THIS gets top?
twizzlesinger SILVER said...
on Dec. 2 2010 at 9:53 pm
twizzlesinger SILVER, Hancock, Maine
5 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Life doesn&#039;t sit and wait for you to be ready for the great.&quot; -Me

View profile
I wrote a Where I am From poem, also (: check it out! yours is worth three thumbs up (YES, THREE!) use your big toe :-)
AlwaysWrite28 DIAMOND said...
on Nov. 10 2010 at 3:21 pm
AlwaysWrite28 DIAMOND, Flushing, New York
95 articles 28 photos 22 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;What makes a flower a flower? And why doesn&#039;t the dandelion qualify?&quot; -From my poem &quot;Dandelions&quot;

View profile
This is amazing, and we have a lot in common might I add! I loved the part about "my sister, the other half of me" that reminded me of my poem "Immortal in a Memory" u can check it out if u want. Great work, its a beautiful poem.
mstweety012 said...
on Nov. 10 2010 at 1:05 pm
i love this poem it reminds me so much of wat i use to do like watch pokemon and stuff like that .....amazing