Emily Brisse

Where I'm From · Oct 7, 2025 · 18m

Where I’m From #8

By Emily Brisse

Inspired by George Ella Lyon

I’m from backyard vegetable gardens,

from the rhubarb in spring to tomatoes in fall,

from cold cans of Pepsi and red licorice twists,

the long hollow candy doubling as a straw.

I’m from kid-marked lawns

of crab grass and dirt patches,

spikey and flour-dry,

from the trees we played beneath–

those two giant pines–

and the birches we peeled,

and the maples we climbed.

I’m from fold-out kids-tables and summer lawn chairs,

from intergenerational games of Pinochle and Pepper,

from olive and pickle trays, to grilled turkeys,

to plates…