Where I'm From
I am from a large dining table
From stories and homemade forts
I am from the family home with lots of stairs
(Old, sturdy, a sense of comfort with every step towards the
front door)
I am from orchids and succulents,
Sensitive but also strong
I’m from Japanese New Year’s Day and dark thick hair
From June and Ron
I’m from the laughter at family dinner and loud
conversations
From “Don’t study too hard” and “I love you”
I’m from the crest made of wisteria,
Built by my family and the families of my friends
I’m from California and Japan
The endless supply of green tea and secret or no recipe
recipes
From my jichan’s garden built from nothing
Transformed into an oasis in the middle of Oakland
The letters written daily by my bachan,
The photo albums filled to the max,
Faces of family members at get-togethers and vacations
Some of people I’ve never met
I am from those people, those images,
Their stories that have become mine.
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| My bachan sitting at the kitchen table writing a letter to her friend in Japan. |
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| My jichan's garden, I loved planting and 'harvesting' the fruits and veggies with him when I was little, it was one of the best places to play hide and go seek. |
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| Me with my mom and my bachan |
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| My dad loves taking selfies... yes he is one of those dads- ha ha ha. Yes that is also his finger in the top right corner, he has since invested in a 'selfie stick' that he brings on all family trips. This picture was taken at my cousin's wedding a couple years ago. |
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| The place where my jichan is the happiest, his garden. If we can't find him he is usually outside puttering around with his dirt and plants. |
Hi Kiyomi,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, it was great how you shared so many lovely pictures to help guide us through your poem (made me realize that I forgot to insert pictures). Also, I can tell how your family is such an important role in your life just like mine! I really like reading about other cultures and love how in the States, we can experience two different cultures at once, in your case being Japanese and American, and in mine being Mexican and American. Funny when you said that you have many family members that you have never met, because I also have such a large family that I don't think I'll ever meet everyone!
Thank you so much for sharing,
Julianna Jimenez
I enjoyed reading your poem. It's nice getting to learn about someone and reflecting on our similarities and differences. While writing my poem I got to reflect on relationships in my life that have played a significant role. Do you think writing this poem has helped you reflect on your relationship with your family members and the roles they play in your life?
ReplyDeleteHi! It definitely helped me reflect on not just my relationships with people in my family, but also myself. Not going to lie, but I sat in front of my laptop for at least an hour trying to figure out how to express who I am and 'where I'm from' and determine which parts of my life made the most impact on me.
DeleteHey Kiyomi,
ReplyDeleteYour poem illustrated beautifully you and your family's culture. You seem to have a very fond outlook on your family. Everything sounded very homely, much like my family growing up. It's great to see you have this sense of home, and I hope this kind of poem enhance that sense of family within you.
- Clayton Staples
You evoke some powerful images, Kiyomi. I like the use of the phrase "no recipe recipes" -- and I like the use of the Japanese names for -- your grandparents? (I'm guessing.) The addition of flower names reminds me of colors and smells and creates pictures in my mind. Very nice work.
ReplyDeleteYes! most people use bachan and jichan here in the US instead of the more formal versions, like people use grandma, nanna, or granny instead of grandmother, and grandpa or granddad instead of grandfather.
Delete