I am from the wheelbarrow and garden hoes

from miracle grow and osmocote

I am from the flower patch

(sunny, vibrant

It felt serene)

I am from the angel trumpets,

the ardesia bush

whose berries I’d pick for my famous mud pies.

I’m from the “many many more” and the big brown eyes

from Rodney and Sherrie and Beverly

I’m from the never on time and the loud-mouthed

the Be safe and Have fun!

I’m from the Hail Marys,

And the several rosaries I’ve gotten over the years.

I’m from the Big Easy and the Fontana Tree,

Corn and crab soup and pigs in a blanket.

From the engagement ring grandpa found while working on the railroad

and the southern hospitality mom used at the B&B.

In my closet is a trunk

packed with shots of past birthdays, holidays, and family trips.

I am from those memories--

the snapshots of the laughs and cries,

the thumbs up and the prolonged “cheese”

those happy memories that will stay with me far into the years to come.