I am from Aprons

I am from aprons, from Blueing

and woodstoves and hanging

clothes on the clothes line.

I am from rolling farmland

where I ran through the fields,

played in the hay mow

and waded in the creek.

I am from the Earth.

I am from lilacs,

dried hay and beefsteak tomatoes.

I am from maple trees and snow apples.

I am from maple syrup

the sweet taste of spring.

I am from family Christmases,

Thanksgivings, pioneer thriftiness

and chasing fireflies on a summer night.

I am from Bert and Candace,

William and Maude,

Fred and Margaret.

I am from family bonding and love.

I am from working hard and being honest.

I am from sobriety and abstinence

and money is precious, as is water.

I am from God,

standing beside Grandma in church

and hymns that have been familiar

since infancy.

I am from homemade soap and

ice cream, gardening

and a one-room schoolhouse.

I am from Ireland and Ontario,

potatoes and strawberry shortcake

with a woodbox behind the woodstove

where piglets were kept in a box

to keep them from freezing to death.

I am from tea, homemade soup,

made from scratch bread

and cinnamon rolls,

rabbit and squirrel stew,

venison and moose meat.

From the soldier

who landed on the beach at Dieppe,

far from home and loved ones.

He was just a boy

but became a man on that beach

When he was wounded

and held his dying friend in his arms

as his life blood seeped into the sand.

I am from the grandmother

who birthed six children at home,

the mother who gave birth to me

after 30 hours of intense labor

and my twin

who didn't survive.

I am from a shoebox

in the sideboard,

a purple heart

and strong independent women.

From black and white

and faded color photos

of days of long ago

that will never be forgotten.

by Mary M. Alward

I saw this over at Paula's On A Rainy Night and thought it would be fun to do. It is all about our roots. If you would like to participate, check HERE for the template.