“Where I’m From” Poem AssignmentMrs. Driggers and Ms. VandenBusscheUsing George Ella Lyon’s poem as a model, write your own original “Where I’m From” poem. Capitalize on the sensory details of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Consider the following as you brainstorm ideas for your poem’s content:foods remembered from your childhood/home a major influence in your early lifephrases, words, or things that people told you when you were youngincidents that affected youcultural traditions that shaped youcommon activities of your childhoodArrange the lines in a manner similar to the model poem. The stanzas (groups of lines) do not have to mimic the stanza lengths of Lyon’s poem, but use it as a guide, usingline breaks and spacing that emphasize your meaning.Requirement: 20 linesminimum, 30 lines maximum.You will be graded not only on the quantity of lines but also on the quality of your writing as demonstrated through the specificity of details and imagery created.Show, don’t tell! Where I’m Fromby George Ella LyonI am from clothespins,from Clorox and carbon tetrachloride.I am from the dirt under the back porch.(Black, glisteningit tasted like beets.)I am from the forsythia bush,the Dutch elmwhose long gone limbs I rememberas if they were my own.I’m from fudge and eyeglasses,from Imogene and Alafair.I’m from the know-it-allsand the pass-it-ons,from perk up and pipe down.I’m from He restoreth my soul with a cottonball lamband ten verses I can say myself.I’m from Artemus and Billie’s Branch,fried corn and strong coffee.From the finger my grandfather lost to the augerthe eye my father shut to keep his sight.Under my bed was a dress boxspilling old pictures,a sift of lost facesto drift beneath my dreams.I am from those moments–snapped before I budded–leaf-fall from the family tree
Student Examples“I’m From the Woods....”by NickI’m from the woods and the creek behind my fenceFrom the gray wooden backyard deck.I’m from the honeysuckles,The pear trees by the neighbor’s gardenFrom the creek when I swing over it. I’m from the yellow walls of Grandma’s kitchenFrom the Yorkshire pup, the coolest thing in my family.I’m from macaroni pictures of the ArkFrom “I just can’t snap my fingers and make it happen” and from David the Gnome in summers long ago.I’m from my mom’s side of the family,From roasting turkeys for each holiday,From when Papaw yelled at his boss and got firedFrom the family pictures in the big wooden cabinet andFrom the family gathering when we drag them out. I am fromthose moments.A root that no one sees, but walks all overAn important part of the tree.”Where I’m From....by LaurenI ‘m from baths in the kitchen sink,From Downy and Mom’s perfumeI am from flowers by the fence(yellow and springy theytasted like crayons).I am from the ivy crawling up the house,The baby tree whose sturdy trunk shot from the groundA mirror image of my planted feet.I’m from sprinkles and plastic table donut shopsFrom Bert and ErnieI’m from stupid heads and dot dot I got my cootie shotFrom don’t touch this and don’t touch that.I’m from Hymn No. 96 and why is this piece of bread so small?And bible crafts made from neon pipe cleaners.I’m from Bill and Darlene’s branchFrom hot soup and freshly baked corn breadFromthe Well, when I was little’s and the snowy gamesTold to me by Green Bay Packer season ticket holdersIn the storage room are boxesOverflowing with shiny, color-coated memoriesBundles of dreams kept aliveTo ask my mother about.I am from those momentsA leaf changing color with the weatherTime only strengthens the branch that holds me.Sources used: http://www.studyguide.org/where_I'm_from_poem.html