I come from
my mommy and my daddy
and all of my family in between

I come from
the sarcasm sung in my mom’s laughter
shedding light on the shadows of despair

I come from
the roar of my dad’s helpless screams
at the Michigan football game on ESPN

I come from
forts made by my brother out of bed sheets
in the early hours of reckless youth

I come from
the strum of my uncle’s acoustic guitar
playing by the campfire at Aunt Alice’s cottage

I come from
the sun soaked skin of my cousins
colored on in a sticky popsicle design

I come from
the hard work of my grandpa
who built himself up from a solider to a leader

I come from
the unconditional love my grandma has
for me and all things Mickey Mouse

I come from
a muddy brown painted house
on the unpretentious street of Cliffwood Road