1. Where I’m From I am from clothespins,
from Clorox and carbon tetrachloride,
I am from the dirt under the back porch.
(Black, glistening,
it tasted like beets.)
I am from the forsythia bush
the Dutch elm
whose long-gone limbs I remember
as if they were my own.
I’m from fudge and eyeglasses,
from Imogene and Alafair.
I’m from the Know-it-alls
and the pass it ons,
from Perk up! And Pipe down!
I’m from He restoreth my soul
with a cotton ball lamb
and ten verses I say myself.
I’m from Artemus and Billie’s Branch
fried corn and strong coffee.
From the finger my grandfather lost
to the auger,
the eye my father shut to keep his sight.
Under my bed was a dress box
spilling old pictures,
a sift of lost faces
to drift beneath my dreams.
I am from those moments--
snapped before I budded--
leaf-fall from the family tree.
~George Ella Lyon

2. “Where I’m From” Think Sheet……Use the trigger words to brainstorm ideas to be incorporated into your poem.
objects: stories/central events: what grew/grows in your yard
images smells religious/spiritual/Sundays
relatives’ names voices
tastes town/streets family traits
play/games hiding places other people’s words

3. Where I’m From Mrs. Phelps’s Poem Brainstorming

4. Where I’m From I am from a stand-up porch swing,
from fireflies and a swimming pool.
I am from the large, grassy hill outside of my grandparent’s apartment.
(Bumpy, steep,
rolling down as tight as a fruit roll-up.)
I am from flower beds
colored flowers of bright pink and purple
whose underneath inhabited
a family of rabbits with baby bunnies I wanted to take
home as pets.
I’m from lemon pies and fake teeth,
from Rosemary to Chillicothe
I’m from tough baked chicken
And swishy white rice
from Missoura and the word, worsh!
I’m from Grandma’s lap, soft and warm
hearing the faint sound of the pastor’s voice
waking up just in time for the service’s ending
I’m from the Lake of Egypt and Marion
Old man smell and hearing aids
From the red fury eyes
after showcasing,
his undergarments to house full of guests.
I am from grandparents and role models
overflowing with love
and tender memories,
never to forget the soft embraces and whispers of kindness
I am from a delightful childhood—
impacted by two beautiful people.
- A. Phelps

5. “Where I’m From” Rubric Content:
*The poem’s rhythm is natural and flowing
*The poem’s strong imagery paints vivid pictures. 25
*The poem has effective sensory detail
*Punctuation appropriately enhances poem’s fluency. 10
Conventions:
*Spelling and usage are correct
*Spacing, line breaks, and stanzas enhance poem’s fluency and presentation. 10
*Title is capitalized correctly w/ no “ ” ‘s or underlining. 10
Technology
*Poem’s final presentation follows guidelines. 10