Where I'm From, George Ella Lyon: Summary & Analysis
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"Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyon is a reflective and introspective poem that explores the speaker's identity and origins by tracing various elements from their past. The poem is a celebration of the speaker's roots, memories, and family heritage, as well as the tangible and intangible aspects that have shaped their sense of self. Through vivid imagery and personal associations, the poem paints a portrait of the speaker's upbringing and the significance of the people, places, and objects that have contributed to their identity. "Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyon
I am from clothespins,
from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride.
I am from the dirt under the back porch.
(Black, glistening,
it tasted like beets.)
I am from the forsythia bush
the Dutch elm
whose long-gone limbs I remember
as if they were my own.
I'm from fudge and eyeglasses,
from Imogene and Alafair.
I'm from the know-it-alls
and the pass-it-ons,
from Perk up! and Pipe down!
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