1. Poetry Journal Monday, 12-6-10

2. Copy the following poem. *If you are absent, do this work and submit it as soon as possible

3. Where I am From By George Ella Lyon

4. I am from clothespins, from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride. I am from the dirt under the black 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.

5. 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. I'm from He restoreth my soul with a cottonball lamb and ten verses I can say myself.

6. I'm from Artemus and Billie's Branch, fried corn and strong coffee. From the finger my grandfather lost to the auger the eye my father shut to keep his sight. Under my bed was a dress box spilling old pictures, a sift of lost faces to drift beneath my dreams. I am from those moments- snapped before I budded- leaf-fall from the family tree.

7. Now write your own “I am From” poem using the following template:

8. I am from (ordinary item), from (product name) and (technical name). I am from (description of home with sensory words). I am from (plant, flower, natural item), the (tree or shrub name) whose (description of tree or shrub).

9. I'm from (two family traditions or traits), from (name of family member) and (family name). I'm from the (prominent family trait) and the (prominent family trait), from (a saying you remember). I'm from (religious or sacred memory).

10. I'm from (place name, road, river or creek), (two favorite foods). (a particularly vivid family memory – death, birth, vacation, tragedy…) (special memento – scrapbook, photo album, trophies…) I am from those moments- (summary concluding statement).