I am from memories
Soaring up the tall, slick basement stairs to see how fast I could go
Playing café in the kitchen, seeing how much ice cream I could devour down
The type of toddler to push to find how much I could get

I am from elegant meals in grandma’s enormous Lake Villa dining room
The lengthy table in a room with loads of China
I worked up to acquire a seat
Proving I could behave with adults
Things always didn’t come easy
But
Kindness rewarded me with raspberry pudding pops
With specialty to get ready in her giant bathroom
Walking up and down the Jacuzzi stairs looking at myself
As if I were the queen of the world

I am from my parent’s apartment
Dressing up with my brother as Batman and Robin
Playing with Barbie’s in a four story mansion dollhouse
Along with cabbage patch dolls
Being so cruel
By shooting peas at the ugly dolls
Giving juicy, sweet strawberries to the dazzling dolls

The young daughter learned things the hard way
One beautiful morning turned into a disastrous evening
Losing my grandfather one day
Two months following my parents filing for divorce
Attempting to look at the bright side
Thinking two was always better than one
To see two views on life
That everything would be okay

Sooner than later
The two homes turned into one home and one house
Difficulty to overcome
Looking from all perspectives
Coming to a realization
And that dad didn’t want to be part of the picture
Mom’s cozy motherly atmosphere is where I’m from
I am from a home
That feels like home to me