Announcement: "I am From..." Poetry Contest Winner

18 Delightful Entries

Written by e-Mom. Follow me on Twitter. Subscribe in a Reader

A hat-trick is a classic magic trick where a performer will produce an object—traditionally a rabbit or a bouquet of flowers—out of an apparently-empty Top Hat.

And that's exactly how our winner will be selected today. Randomly, out of a hat! The winner of our "I am From..." Poetry contest is MiPa at Miriam Pauline's Monologue. Congratulations! Your prize, The Christian Writer's Manual of Style is on its way to you.

Each and every poem was profoundly interesting. Thank you so much for your participation.

In our group kitchen I found tortillas, clam chowder, cheese cloth, lemon drops, orange popsicles, malted milk balls, tapioca pudding, Kerr canning jars, spinach pie, cabbage rolls, homemade jam, Kraft mac & cheese, perogies, Cheerios, oyster stew, Dr. Pepper, and Oreos! (Lots of kid-friendly food, eh?)

You probably agree that it's impossible to assign comparative values to a collection of deeply personal memories. Instead, I'd like to honor each poet by quoting the opening lines of their poem. I hope you'll take a few minutes to visit those poets that interest you the most.

(Listed in the order they were submitted.)

I am From...

1. Cindy Jasmine said:

I am from snow, from Salsa Valentina and El Milagro tortillas.

I am from the red cement stairs cracking in front of the glass door that slams every night as I walk in from my adventures…

Visit This Little Light of Mine for more.

2. Anne Onymous said:

I am from stacks of library books, from strawberry Jello in copper molds, and Mom’s clam chowder.

I am from the small ranch house on the dead end street with neighbor kids playing tag until dark…

Visit this comment box for more.

3. Mac an Rothaich said:

I am from cheese cloth, from co-op freshie and early's seeds.

I am from the forest; a sleepy, weedy creek meandering towards my future.

I am from the bed rock, the wild pink rose…

Visit Avoiding the Sandy Land for more.

4. Jaime Kubik said:

I am from construction paper, from Big Chief Notebooks, and Grandma’s lemon drops.

I am from the big corner lot house with decorative paint, secret dirt alley trails, and old, metal play ground swings…

Visit Ditchin’ the Kitchen for more.

5. April said:

I am from misty blue mountains, from Frozen Run Black Bear Birch Beer and bare feet.

I am from the lightning bugs hovering above the cornfield on a purple evening.

I am from the deep green woods, the stoney creek…

Visit April in January for more.

6. Crickl said:

I am from orange popsicles, dripping down my chin and elbow, from hula hoops, roller skates with keys and a purple Huffy ten speed.

From the influence of hippies and the 60’s and 70’s, The Beattles, Monkees, James Taylor, The Eagles, the BeeGees.

From air raid drills and the Viet Nam War. Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan...

Visit Crickl’s Nest for more.

7. Tami Boesiger said:

I am from purple shag carpet, from Tide, malted milk balls and candy orange slices.

I am from the white house nestled among the trees, cattle lot in the backyard, close enough to town to ride my bike there, yet far enough for stars brilliance to take my breath away…

Visit The Next Step for more.

8. Esther said:

i am from cherry chap stick lip balm, from home-made tapioca pudding, and 1 cent candy stores.

from trudging to school in the dark, through 2 feet of snow; from wearing hand-me-down ski pants over my skirt and envying my 3 brothers, who didn't have to wear a skirt.

i am from the the 2-story playhouse on the corner... pink, brown, complete with a slide that gave the meanest slivers…

Visit Daisy Mommy for more.

9. Betsy Markman said:

I am from Florida's sweaty air, from the close quarters of a small home, from one bathroom shared by five people, from wide-mouthed Jalousie windows which gasped for breath just like we did in the endless, merciless summers.

I am from the lake behind my house, the mud squishing between my toes, the wooden-handled net swooshing down to snag wily turtles, the creak of oars in oarlocks…

Visit Just Another Clay Pot for more.

10. MiPa said:

I am from Kerr canning jars, from Palmolive soap and Pine-sol.

I am from the brown-sided house by the cotton field, dusty, barren, of darkness enveloping like a blanket--the nearest porch light a half mile away dimly easing the loneliness…

Visit Miriam Pauline’s Monologue for more.

11. Tanja Cilia (zxcvbnm) said:

I am from sea-urchins and anchovies, and from Lighthouse Sea Salt and the Mediterranean’s best-kept secret island... I am from the Grand Harbour view flat, cosy, homely, comfortable, an islander who feels as much at home in the water as outside it.

I am from the tiger lily freckles and the honeysuckle tendrils, and orange blossom water used as scent because it smells faintly of 4711...

Visit this comment box for more.

12. Amydeanne said:

I am from laptop, from Dell and Canon.

I am from the quiet.

I am from the crocus, the thorny thistle.

I am from pysanka and stubborn, from Donna and Lena and Mallick...

Visit The 160 Acre Woods for more.

13. Becky said:

I am from well-read books, from Barbies and Coke-bottle eyeglasses.

I am from the screened-in porches and shady back yards with cool breezes...

Visit Journey Toward Stillness for more.

14. Jan Parrish said:

I’m from a house built on faith. Women of strength, men of valor, Swedish Lords, gypsy migrant workers and Viking kings.

I’m from swimming in the Platte on hot summer days, minnows nibbling on my toes, “preaching” in grandpa’s country church, riding bareback on prize horses, catching frogs and fireflies, and dreaming in the branches of the tall oak tree...

Visit Bold & Free Ministries for more.

15. Helen Williams said:

I am from Chevy cars, from Camel cigarettes and ashtrays.

I am from a home with one heating vent that was raced for every winter morning to giggle at the warm air billowing under our nightgowns...

Visit Helen's Points to Ponder for more.

16. Kay Day said:

I am from cigarette scented pickups. From black and white TV and Pyrex bowls – yellow for the popcorn and red for the Jell-o.

I am from the squeaky, the dusty, and paneled.

From three bedrooms, green carpet, and doors that open
by themselves...

Visit Loop de Loops in La La Land for more.

17. Deborah said:

I am from Marjorie and Sam, Harold and Berniece, Gladys and Sam.

I am from the sprawling metropolis of Des Moines, and the deserts of Arizona.

The farmlands of Missouri, the icy coldness and beauty of Alaska and the historical surroundings of Virginia...

Visit Mussacks Notes for more.

18. PhoenixPhire said:

I am from Dublin Dr. Pepper made with real pure cane sugar and K & N Root Beer straight from the tap into a heavy, glass frosted mug.

I am from the prickly pear cactus, mesquite trees with sticky-sweet yellow beans that the horses love to eat in the summer and goat-head stickers that torment bare feet...

Visit This & That, Here & There for more.

19. e-Mom said:

I am from thick poster paint, from Oreos, and drippy Kool Aid popsicles.

I am from backyard tree forts and carved initials—hidden from my parents…

Visit Chrysalis for more.

Related

It's not too late to leave a link to your poem! Please do.
I would love to read it. You'll find the template and instructions here.

Photo: Lynn_El (Flickr)

Coming Soon—Book Review: Heaven by Randy Alcorn

Have you considered hosting a similar poetry contest at your blog? I'm passing the torch (and the template) on to you...