I Am From

©2012 Joan Brown

I am from the South, Georgia by state.

I am from two societies and realities

I am from a big, old white house on a hill, proudly and sedately watching anything and everything.

I am from wild azaleas, rhododendrons, honeysuckles, mountain laurel, dogwoods.

I am from chiggers, wood ticks, mosquitoes, often called the state bird.

I am from smells of a barn, many cedars, pines, hemlock, and red clay dirt.

I am from rain, sometimes endless, always fresh-smelling and often freezing.

I am from well water, ice cold, so sweet it's inebriating.

I am from a family of readers, savers, repairers, non-wasters.

I am from Scottish fold, Cherokee Indian, Irish, English-mish-mash like almost everybody.

I am from Sam and Bonnie Leslie-he from Georgia, she from Tennessee, protestant, singer of

Psalms, trained to heed the Bible. I still believe in a higher power, not so much one church.

I am from Atlanta, and I'm grits, cornbread, and home cured, fried pork tenderloin.

I am a lucky person, glad I've been given the privilege of experiencing life.