I am from leather horse halter with a white cotton braided lead rope,
from Saddle soap and Simple Green.
I am from the the one-storey brick house on three acres with barn and many pets,
grassy, welcoming,
with the smell of hay and horses.
I am from the Periwinkle.
I'm from Fish fries with Dad’s secret sauce and Silliness
from Pa-pa Jack and Grandma Lois.
I'm from Going to the movies and Poking fun of each other.
I'm from Be one, don’t marry one and The sky is the limit and
Do unto others as you would have done unto you and Honesty is the best policy.
I'm from Dallas, Texas.
I'm from American, English, Polish
Fried chicken and Lemon bundt cake.
From my mother Judith taking up belly dancing
and winning first place in a talent show on a Nile riverboat cruise
she, who went to college in her forties while raising three children,
who is known for her kind heart and bottle-feeding an orphaned lamb till he grew big, strong, and mean.
my pet horse Smokey, who foamed at the mouth for watermelon, took me over fences, taught me how to trust, and prepared me for motherhood with an equally stubborn little boy
albums and boxes in the living room cabinet
To remind me of when life seemed simple and safe, memories to share with my children so they know how life was where I am from.