I am from superman popsicles,

            from overused couches and piles of shoes by the door.

I am from the circular trampoline and the

            sprinkler underneath it.

I am from the tall evergreen trees

            that make the dull grey sky bearable.

I’m from fire trucks and ice cream,

            from Boardman and Poland.

I’m from blood is thicker than water,

            from other people have it way worse than you do.

I’m from why do you have to go and make things so complicated?

            from Bye Bye Bye.

I’m from the D’Apolitos and the Smiths,

            homemade spaghetti and meatballs.

From large Christmas parties at my great aunts house

            to morning hikes on the nearby trail.

From ice cream runs to quick shopping trips to

            attempts to visit every relative.

In the downstairs hall closet is a cardboard box

            Overflowing with pictures

            a mountain of memories

            that force the recollection of those times.

Those memories have shaped me,

            changed me, whether they liked it or not.