Where I'm From

Sum

I am from farmers’ fields in North Dakota

From bookworms, spectacles, and tea cups

I am from chromatic scales and five-over-four jazz—

—time out.

From the front yard where the ginkgo tree grows

where the pear tree was split in two.

I am from Midwestern thunderstorms

cold in the sky with white light

I am from dark clouds that pour their hearts out

over my old silver sedan.

I am from an old brown couch,

from Gandalf the Grey and chocolate chip cookies.

I am from public radio waves,

powder milk biscuits

and the frozen chosen.

I am from faces made like Garrison, for radio.

I am from lefse and Rømmegrøt,

and the shortest branch of a Viking family tree.

I am from hard drive platters in the cloud,

electronic records, cookies, and cached data.

I am from black coffee and cold pizza—not frozen.

from the fifty yard line at half time

and “if you’re on time you’re late!”