Blog #2 : Where I'm From
I am from strength
Blood, Sweat, and Tears
I am from suffering
Emotionally, Mentally, and Physically
I am from determination
A Better life, job, people, and self
I am from happiness
Reunions, Laughter, and Hugs
I am from my ancestors
Their past, present, and future
I am from life
Their love, decisions, and mistakes
I am from the house in Sherman Heights
I am from the house in Logan Heights
I am from the house nowhere near
I am from places all around the world
I am from the flag that’s green, white, and red
I am from the flag that’s red, white, and blue
I am from, not just these two
I am from the City of Mountains
I am from my botas vaqueras
I am from the city and from el Rancho
I am from running barefoot through the streets
I am from a place we stay safe from hurricanes
I am from never ending sleepless nights
I am from the burning heat & freezing cold
I am from good food, and even better times
I am from the place hidden under the clouds
I am from those who always strived to be better
I am from immigrants
I am from here
I am from there
I am from them
I am from me
- Analysis: I feel that I don’t have an exact theme. I wanted to show how I am literally all over the place. All over the place as in the person I am, the way I think, and the way I feel. I am from somewhere, while still being from nowhere. (Or at least feeling as if I was from nowhere sometimes) If I really had to choose a theme I would say mixed, and love. I feel that I didn’t struggle much, but I did do a lot of re-writing. I had a general idea of what I wanted, so I wrote everything down, but I didn’t have it in order. That was sort of the tricky part, figuring out what went better where, or if it should just be completely taken out. How do I feel about the overall product? I feel good about it, I feel that I covered the way I felt, and I put it in a way others could understand and maybe connect to as well. I want to be proud of my work, so I will state that overall, I really like it.
Leslie! Thank you for sharing, this is such a well written poem. The photos gave me an image in my head, and they are very beautiful! This poem was interesting because it just makes me want to know more about you and where you came from, the ending passage being one of my favorite parts. You gave the reader a tasteful bit of who you are, but not all of it, and that kept me interested and wanting to continue to read.
ReplyDeleteI want to say that there is nothing wrong with being all over the place, in fact, aren't we all? Being here and there and everywhere is the amazing part of life, we have endless possibilities! Your writing shows your numerous challenges and experiences in life, and I applaud you for being so vulnerable. Great job <3
Lauren Hagen
Thank you Lauren !(: I really appreciate it! I'm glad that you enjoy my writing to the point you want to continue reading. That is one of the goals! We are from all over the place, I think that's the beauty in the world, a little here, a little there. I'm glad you see my writing as vulnerable because I feel I'm never giving what is expected, but then again it might all just be in my head.
DeletePS I love reading your blog! I always try to leave a comment, but it never lets me. Keep it up girl
After reading your poem there are several things that stand out to me. I think that the pictures you chose to include are really neat. I also like the repetition you chose to use in your 2nd-5th stanzas and I feel it really works to drive home the variety of settings you have been a part of. This really stands out to me because I have lived in the same place my whole life and I have never been out of the country or own a passport. While I do not feel a need to go anywhere spectacular, I think that it is really cool that you are able to draw so much from your experiences in a bunch of different places. - Kevin W
ReplyDeleteHi Kevin,
DeleteThank you! I thought a lot of using repetition or not. I kept thinking how I couldn't cherry pick which places to put them because I thought it wouldn't work. However I guess it did in the very end! I can honestly say that I don't think I have ever met anyone who didn't own a passport. I like how you are ok with that, you are comfortable enough to say you don't feel the need to go anywhere. I like the assurance.
Hello Leslie,
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your poem! You described perfectly how you are from many differently places and I can tell how prideful you are of being from those places. You mentioned the colors of both the Mexico and USA flags. It seemed like every place you lived in was different from the rest which is really cool, like temperature to natural disasters. I like how you mentioned both of your houses and in Sherman Heights and Logan Heights, the home of Chicano Park so I was able to tell how much pride you have of your Mexican heritage. You perfectly described that location in itself can have a huge impact on someone’s life, you have lived in numerous places with different living conditions and all of those locations helped shape who you are today. Thank you for sharing your blog Leslie, it sure was a joy to read! Great job.
Hi Jacob,
DeleteThank you so much! I'm glad you see it, because I definitely am very proud of where I'm from. I did mention colors which made you think of only two flags, but the red, white, and blue was also for Cuba. (A little hidden something if you will!) I feel the places that I'm from literally equal who I am as a person. I am a cool temperature and then I turn into a natural disaster. (lol)
Thank you for reading & taking the time to comment!
Leslie,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing! I love how your poem depicts that you cannot be tied down by a specific city or place, let alone labels or stereotypes. The fact that you do not have an exact theme shows that you are a person of many different contributions that have built you up to who you are today. This also explains what you feel about your analysis of how you think. Because so many different things have structured you as a person, the way your mind works sounds creative and inclusive of all possible thoughts. My favorite part of the poem is the last stanza. This stanza stands out to me because it truly highlights that all of these different life experiences pay tribute to who you are, and as a reader, I perceive and understand that you are very thankful for this and proud of how far you have come.
Thank you for sharing,
Sabrina Willett
Hello Leslie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! Your poem is extremely well-written and is indicative of a well-traveled individual. I like that as you pointed out in your analysis, your poem doesn't have a very specific theme and encompasses multiple aspects of your identity. I also thought it was interesting that after the first stanza, you began every line with the phrase "I am from". This was an interesting stylistic choice and it gives the poem a unique rhythm. It is obvious through your writing that you are proud of your hispanic heritage and you are a product of the many places you have lived in. Thank you for sharing this post, it was very well-written and representative of you.