Where I'm From.

School Assignments and Poetry from Nowhere

It’s poetry season.

Every spring (for the last few years), I have concluded the third quarter of my high literature classes with a poetry unit, complete with good reads, lots of metaphor, and typewriters. Always typewriters.

---

The year has been somewhat difficult for my students, and my brain is almost completely shot from semester two at Duke Divinity. (Those text-critical issues are not gonna identify themselves…) So we opted for a fill-in-the-blank, “Where I’m From” poem originating from George Ella Lyon. There’s a whole foundation surrounding this beautiful poem idea. I used this template to teach. But this is not a curriculum site, but about my writing. So…here’s what I wrote about myself. About Where I’m From. I wonder if we can get these to catch on, because they’re quite beautiful.

---

Where I’m From. by Kelly Hellmuth

I am from southern sunshine,

from hot suburban pavement and horse-girl bike-capades.

I am from double-reeded classical music.

(Fragile, melodious, sounds kinda like ducks.)

I am from buttercups and purple clover,

bright pollen and soul-soft leaves holding tightly to my bare feet.

I am from extravagant Douglas firs all winter

and cow field family reunions in the heat.

From Ethel. From Joyce.

I’m from behaving like a lady,

and boy cousin sword fights.

From the pay-close-attentions

and the it-don’t-matters.

I’m from stand-sit-kneel-and-sometimes-raise-your-hands-

as-long-as-your-grandma’s-not-watching-

but-we-love-the-Lord-all-the-same-

Spirit-filled outpourings of Grace.

I’m from sprawling metropolistic Houston

and countryfied North Zulch,

unsweet tea and dill pickles.

From nine-times-removed from the line of Windsor

to the clawed index finger left behind

when mom’s Uncle Brother drunkenly

ran over his hand with the lawn mower.

These aged-brown polaroids only live

inside my head, planted in the dark places

sprouting new family seeds

through word and deed.

---

Blessings, friends.