Poems

I Am From

I am from ringing laughter,

and annoyed eye rolls at

my sister's antics

I am from music

weaving through my ears

and dancing in my head,

appearing like bursts of flaming color on Diwali

From an innocent smile at my mother,

And a sneak eyebrow raised at my friends

I am from a crisp page turn

like a crinkled bag of potato chips,

my dad brought home from the store

From a text shot off to my group,

while work lies, untouched, on the side,

a gift from my procrastination

I am from a lone tear,

trailing down,

down,

down my cheek,

when I think no one's watching

I am from my mom's advice,

and my own frustration and effort

From the blissful release of a violin string,

echoing through the air,

somehow both breaking the silence and leaving it still

I am from every good grade,

every burst of smug confidence

From empathy, and trying to problem-solve

I am from the weight of expectation,

and the words that encourage me to set it down

I am from a book

sneaked under the blanket

From annoyance at the warm summer sun heating my room

When I desperately need cool weather

I am from giggling at an inside joke

From fangirling at my favorite scenes in a book

And hugging my best friends

I am from a flicker of belief,

a spark of hope

on a particularly awful day

I am from a hand reached out,

extended,

Calling to anyone who needs it

I am from all of this intertwined,

like a melody and harmony,

that simply can't exist without one another