2. Kaiyue L. I Am From

 I am From Poem

I am from Thomas the Tank Engine,

from Bob Ross and Drake and Josh.

I am from Black Forest cakes,

From sour plums and green grapes.

I am from scribbles,

from markers and coloring books.

I am from bruised knees and blood nose

on a Friday afternoon.

I am from gentle cigarette smoke,

and the scent of soil after a night of rain-

with jazz music playing in the background.

I am from these moments where my grandpa tells me stories about his childhood.

I am from ambulance sirens and funny socks,

From empty rooms and sleepless nights.

I am from imperfections,

born a sunken face and curves in all the wrong places.

I am from “you could do better” and “that was not enough”.

I am from forgotten plans and missed appointments, 

and pointless expectations.

I am from the Outliers, 

from the Trouble With Geniuses.

I am from Alice in Wonderland,

living a life of arbitrary shrinking and growing.

I am from the justice of Atticus Finch, the maturity of Scout, 

and the misunderstood Boo Radley.

I am from bottled feelings,

From sealed lips and broken hearts.

I am from these moments,

constantly shifting and twisting.

 

Word count: 210

2 - Blu M. - I Am From

 I am from grass fields

from fig and cherry trees

I am from acres of land,

getting lost in grass that grew,

even taller than I stood

I am from the magnolia tree,

the tree I tumbled down a million times

causing Mom to run for my aid

I can feel the spider webs,

coming with each fall

I am from bean sprouts and noodle soups,

from chopsticks before forks

I am from Grammy, Grumps, and Auntie,

my day life before returning home,

from “Bluppie wear this, try that,”

a wonderful blend of culture

I am from a single mother,

one who works to provide,

who sacrificed everything

all for my sake

I am from sharing an ice cream cone

the moments becoming core memories,

any foundation as a person

I am from “why don’t you ask your dad”

and only me having a true answer

the history cutting deeper,

and making me so grateful

I am from standing out,

from growing like a weed,

having a smile similar to a game

of Crocodile Dentist

measurements recorded on a wall

tiny hand prints forever sealed in cement

(Thank you Grammy and Grumps)

Thousands of photos,

videos, drawings, projects,

moments captured in time,

perfectly capturing where

I am from

Word Count: 208

2 - Lucas V: I Am From Poem

   

I Am From Poem

I am from a caring Mom and Dad,

from a room that is decently sized,

filled with Beyblades.

I am from a neighborhood (so quiet

you can hear the chirps from birds 

and the buzzing of insects).

I am from a backyard filled with flowers,

the greenest grass in the world.

I am from matt black Ray Bans,

a heavy backpack filled with textbooks.

I am from a family that is hard working,

to get what we desire.

I am from the Vuong family.

Word Count: 84

2 - Grace B. I Am From

 

I am From

I am from the city of Vacaville, California

A place where all the fun happened in the streets

Simply, I am from the late night sandlot like fun with friends

Whose names have been lost in memory

But faces I will never forget

I am from the call “Gigi, time to come home”

That could be heard from a mile away

I am from the walk that gradually turned into a run

Because I feared the blackness we called night

I am from the smell of beans and rice 

That welcomed home every soul that walked through the door

I am from late night conversations with mom

That I never understood

Complexly, I am from dad coming home after my day had ended

Tickled until I couldn’t breathe

I am from brother annoying me daily

Which led my feelings to sadness

I am from my sisters small words of wisdom

That I always followed

Deeper than that I am from the things I’ll never know

I am from behind the wall 

The wall that separates me and my people

I am from people I would never recognize

But they could me

I am from hopes and dreams that could finally come true

Through me

204

2 - Antonio L: I Am From Poem

I am from many places in one area

Only venturing out once to the South

Where I gained 2 new family nicknames

Someone who wants to be a jack of all trades

To know a bit of everything 

To be more helpful

I am from helpful minds

Who make up helpful people

People who have taught me basic morals

And more beyond that

I’ve had in California

Only venturing out once to Tennessee

Where I gained 2 new family nicknames

I am from sunny Sundays sitting in the living room

Watching TV with family

When everyone is off from their jobs

And days at school

Enjoying the hours together and relaxing

I am from the countless commercials I've memorized

By heart from all the shows I’ve watched

I am from sophisticated music taste

I am from remembering the past too much and wanting to go back

I am from errors that never let me down

(Word count: 156)

2 - Charlene H. I Am From Poem

I am from a mixed-race heritage

From a short Filipino mother and a tall African-American father.

From admiration of my ethnic identities

But being stared at by others as they utter,

“You’re half Black? But your skin color...”

With my hair twirled in its natural loose spiral curls.

I am from solitude behind closed doors

From an undefined distance between society and myself

Drowning in the sound of silence

Re-energizing.

I am from a world of my own,

From a mind where I hover around the height of my thoughts

Sometimes dangerous,

But sometimes relaxing.

I am from respect and tolerance

Never glaring at others

Or observing with an evil grin

I never use my swords

But only my words

I don’t fuel the fires others have set ablaze

I try to extinguish them

I am from the strong, disconcerting need to help and protect

As I see others shriek in mental and physical agony,

Craving affection.

I want to see the looks on their faces

When I embrace them with a hug of security.

Word Count: 175

2 - Lilly T: I am From

Bottom Left                           On the ground

I am from ashes, from the womb,

And from my mother and father.

I am from from the home

Where chao and pho are served.

I am from Christian schools,

Where I had my first experience with chapel,

My first experience with teachers,

My first experience with friends.

I am from bookshelves of fantasy,

Where one’s imagination can run wild.

I am from games,

From hours of Uno with friends

To the early days of Mario with family.

I am from the house

Where the things I hold dear reside,

From family to belongings,

From plants to animals.

I am from the planes in the sky and the cars on the road,

Where many summers are spent traveling.

I am from my mother and my father,

Who have spent many years with me.

I am from Discord,

Where my emotions are not trapped in a bubble,

Where I can express myself freely,

Where I can make memories.

Word Count: 157

2 - Alejandro M: I am From

I am from the country of Peru,

to the majestic city of San Francisco,

to now this town of Vacaville.

I am from the many Bay Area sport moments,

and all the large crowds at the stadiums.

And I am from my large, beautiful family,

creating moments to never forget.

I am from the dull, foggy city of San Francisco,

waking up in the summer and winter to the same weather,

in a small two bedroom house.

I am from my boring neighborhood,

where making friends was a struggle,

unless if you had the school a couple blocks away.

I am from family living close to me,

to have as many family memories as I can experience.

I am from the many family reunions, 

to those of large, joyful Christmas gatherings,

to birthdays to cheer about,

and to Bay Area sports playoff parties.

I am from large family potlucks,

delicious and appetizing food,

and many laughs in between.

I am from the love of my family.

I am from the many sports memories,

especially those of my San Francisco Giants.

To meeting The Freak and The Beard,

to love this team since 2010.

I am from the cheer of the many stadiums,

those from the charming Oracle Park, 

the loud crowd of Roarcle Arena,

the Shark Tank in San Jose,

and soon the Faithful down south.

I am from all the memorabilia I’ve been spoiled with,

the many Giants and Warriors jersey,

the many banners and posters of the championship teams last decade,

and the shining 2014 SF Giants replica ring.

I am from my mentors that influenced my early life,

my intelligent role model in my cousin,

and to my parents who’ve been there through all this.

I am from the many times being told that “hard work always pays off”,

“keep looking forward and never look back”,

and to “keep pushing and never give up”.

I am from a place where I live to help out myself,

and to the people around me so that nobody would feel left out.

I am from the intelligence given and taught by those around me,

even from those who never thought they would be helping me out.

I am from boring and seriousness.

I am from family of many laughter and food.

I am from the many iconic Bay Area sports moments.

I am from a tedious and dull neighborhood. 

I am from the caring of those who love me,

from those of my family and friends.

Word Count: 416 

2 - Tyler B. - I am from

 

I am From a family of baseball fans, teachers and mechanics, and procastinators.

I grew up with the idea that men don´t cry and I should act like a man while also being told that I could be whatever I want to be.

I am from having Pietro´s whenever my uncle comes to town.

I am from pop songs and country music, pretending that airplanes in the night sky were like shooting stars, letting it go, and lighting it up like it´s dynamite.

I am from musicians playing all kinds of instruments, learning clarinet with Mr. Woods, and switching to alto saxophone because my crush said I should and never regretting it.

I am part of a flag of pastel blue, pink and white and support the representation of all people, because I did not get the support I could have from people I trusted.

I am from a chosen family that I trust more than any other group, telling them things I have not even told my birth family.

I am from the unions of Blackstone and Breedlove, then Blackstone and Wall.

I am from playing Left, Right, and Center for $5 gift cards on Christmas Eve at my grandparents house, opening our stockings in excitement that night.

I am from playing left field and right midfielder, and coaches yelling things to do and giving me hand signs telling me to stay inside the batters box.

Spending Saturdays at the baseball park, being told ¨there´s no crying in baseball!¨, spending way too much money at the snack bar, and having team parties at Round Tables Pizza 

I am from hospitals, the ER, artifical insulin and therapy that is only ever a temporary solution.

Being told to cut my hair, that I need to lose weight, that I should wear looser clothes, and that I am just confused.

Playing all kinds of video games, from Lego Star Wars to Fallout, and from Stardew Valley to Slime Rancher.

I am a listener of rock music of any kind, whither it is Boy Hero or Dance Gavin Dance, Fame on Fire or First to Eleven.

I am from spending Sundays at church with my grandparents, getting breakfast and donuts after.

Going camping in the Spring with my family, trying and failing to catch a fish, learning to ride my bike, and getting smacked in the face by a fish my dad caught.

I am from comets, panthers, and wildcats, and I take pride in all of them.

I am from baseball, soccer, cross country and swim, most of which I had enjoyed.

I am from Boy Scouts, and 3 generations of Eagle Scouts.

I am from the kindness of friends.

I am from the hard work of my family.

I am from the support those close to me.

I am from a community that is resilient and proud.

I am a voice that wants to say so many things, but won´t.

I hope one day, I can find the courage to say those things.

Word count: 503