Where I'm From
Where Am I From?
A place in
urban Milwaukee where I began to lay eyes on the world,
to a family of neighbors on Elm avenue.
The tree out the front window,
the one that I planted.
A place where
the town was cleared of candy on October 31,
an annual tradition.
The hills acting as imaginary battlegrounds,
now in a war with nature.
Somewhere around
the paintballs flying past my head,
a few into it.
The scattered pieces of electronics over the floor.
Right beside, me scratching my head.
A family that
learned how to make each other happy,
without a great deal to work with.
A group of people that likes to get together on the weekends,
still going strong 17 years later.
A place near
the strength that was gained from failure:
school, bad decisions, and learning life heedlessly.
To the Rocky Mountains in Colorado,
hopefully to be seen in the morning with the sunrise.
A place that
taught me, fed me, and made me…well, me.
Somewhere that will be a piece of me and structure me,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The first place I ever lay eyes on.