Where I'm From

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Of the region of New England, I'm from;
Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
Of Plante and Welsh, I am the bastard son, 
A reminder of sin and temptations.

I am from the Holy Roman Church
Whose doctrines I had followed, devout. 
I am from God, but in my long search,
I am left with no choice but to doubt. 

I am from Kent; 61 Circuit Drive,
Built by Eugene’s weathered and careful hands.
I am from a legacy of talent.
And to uphold that heritage, I strive


I am from daydreams and analyses,
From many books and documentaries.
These are my guides, rocks, and lords; they taught me
When in doubt, pens are mightier than swords. 

I am from LEGOs and Star Wars toys
From lightsaber duels with neighborhood boys.
I am from an afternoon of shooting a BB gun. 
And from spare lumber, building forts of fun 

I am of the earth, our only abode.
The trees, mountains, and oceans are my kin. 
Compassion yields love; hubris yields sin.

Comments

  1. Amy IronsSeptember 1, 2019 at 7:00 AM

    James, your poem thoughtfully includes many aspects of your life that have helped shaped your identity. You first reflect on your religious upbringing and how your deeper analysis of its doctrines made you question what you had been taught. This struggle between following in what you have been taught and deciding to branch out is apparent here, and this is something I can strongly relate to, as well as other readers. You continue with where you are physically from, your home and the values your home means to you. Another piece of identity you illustrate here is your love for literature and writing, and how expressing yourself through writing has helped you come to terms with doubt and other feelings. I like how you reflect on your neighborhood friends, because time spent with them heavily affects who you are today and your interests (e.g. Star Wars). Lastly, your piece ends with your love of nature, alluding that you are one with the Earth's natural elements. To conclude, your poem beautifully reflects on many ways your identity has been formed, from things ranging from religion to LEGOs.

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  2. CheyenneSeptember 1, 2019 at 10:39 AM

    Wow! You successfully made this a rhyming poem which can be incredibly difficult, so hats off to you! I also loved that you almost made this a poem of morality as well as a poem about yourself and upbringing/history. "As humans, we will reap what we have sowed- / Compassion yields love; hubris yields sin" (23-24). This tells me, on top of other lines in your poem, that you are making an effort to be the best you can be. You want to do good for yourself and your future as well as even inspire others to follow in your footsteps. You look at everything around you critically, but not without respect. I do believe you'll make a difference in this world with all the effort you put into your everyday.

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  3. Prof BensonSeptember 5, 2019 at 11:11 AM

    Wow I really appreciate how you weave in the religious/spiritual references and language alongside more mundane and 'earthly' elements. And yes, the earth is burning...it terrifies me daily to think about the world I am leaving for my son. Thank you for bringing that up in this poem -- we need to think about what future generations will be able to say about where THEY are 'from'...what's left ...

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