I'm from Caperusita Roja, Cri-Cri, and Chilindrina
I'm from Richmond and Sixty-fourth
and playing on the back porch,
tag and mother may I,
one hundred Barbie dolls
and never finding her left shoe.
I'm from bestest friends forever
and losing your bestest friend.
I'm from clean-up, clean up, everybody, everywhere
and getting into my mother's make-up,
making a huge mess,
but thinking I look fabulous.
From being raised at work with mom and dad
and never wanting to leave
and everyone there saying hi
and not knowing a single one of them.
I'm from seventy-seventh and Trumbull
and weekends at Ford City Mall.
From being home before the streetlights came on,
and sleepovers with my friends,
giggling and gossiping,
excited about the school year to come,
hoping we don't end with the mean teacher.
I'm from hot spicy posole in the winter
and tamales de dulce at Christmas with my whole family,
sharing stories of holidays past and life in Mexico,
hearing about my dad's adventures,
and wishing I could do the same.
From every girl is a princess,
and Nancy Drew Mystery Stories,
imagining what it would be like to solve a mystery with my best friends.
From meeting that best friend that changes your life,
and finding out who your real friends are.
Mrs. B and Just Us Kids with the craziest people I have ever met,
flying to Philadelphia,
and winning second place in the choir competition.
I'm from NJROTC
and we are all one big dysfunctional family.
From cotillions, and falling in love for the first time,
and losing that love,
experiencing my first true heartbreak,
wondering if I'd ever be able to move on,
asking myself if I should stay friends with him
From S.P.E.W. and fanfiction,
knowing, how silly it really is, but not caring.
From learning how to cook like my mom learned in Oaxaca
and Gallery 37,
having to make it to Randolph and Wabash in time to eat and change,
so that I can set up my station and
getting an eight inch knife before they run out.
From college application, and scholarships,
wondering how I'll be able to pay for school
because I do not have forty thousand dollars in the bank,
my childhood ending, scared,
asking myself, "How am I going to survive in the real world?",
knowing I'll have to leave home soon.
I am the robin, learning how to spread my wings, anxious to learn to fly,
the time approaching for the mother bird to push the baby out of the nest.
I'm from Richmond and Sixty-fourth
and playing on the back porch,
tag and mother may I,
one hundred Barbie dolls
and never finding her left shoe.
I'm from bestest friends forever
and losing your bestest friend.
I'm from clean-up, clean up, everybody, everywhere
and getting into my mother's make-up,
making a huge mess,
but thinking I look fabulous.
From being raised at work with mom and dad
and never wanting to leave
and everyone there saying hi
and not knowing a single one of them.
I'm from seventy-seventh and Trumbull
and weekends at Ford City Mall.
From being home before the streetlights came on,
and sleepovers with my friends,
giggling and gossiping,
excited about the school year to come,
hoping we don't end with the mean teacher.
I'm from hot spicy posole in the winter
and tamales de dulce at Christmas with my whole family,
sharing stories of holidays past and life in Mexico,
hearing about my dad's adventures,
and wishing I could do the same.
From every girl is a princess,
and Nancy Drew Mystery Stories,
imagining what it would be like to solve a mystery with my best friends.
From meeting that best friend that changes your life,
and finding out who your real friends are.
Mrs. B and Just Us Kids with the craziest people I have ever met,
flying to Philadelphia,
and winning second place in the choir competition.
I'm from NJROTC
and we are all one big dysfunctional family.
From cotillions, and falling in love for the first time,
and losing that love,
experiencing my first true heartbreak,
wondering if I'd ever be able to move on,
asking myself if I should stay friends with him
From S.P.E.W. and fanfiction,
knowing, how silly it really is, but not caring.
From learning how to cook like my mom learned in Oaxaca
and Gallery 37,
having to make it to Randolph and Wabash in time to eat and change,
so that I can set up my station and
getting an eight inch knife before they run out.
From college application, and scholarships,
wondering how I'll be able to pay for school
because I do not have forty thousand dollars in the bank,
my childhood ending, scared,
asking myself, "How am I going to survive in the real world?",
knowing I'll have to leave home soon.
I am the robin, learning how to spread my wings, anxious to learn to fly,
the time approaching for the mother bird to push the baby out of the nest.
