"I Am From Rainy Days and Weekly Family Reunions"

This is a poem that I wrote and entered into our school poetry contest!

I Am From Rainy Days and Weekly Family Reunions

Mikayla Douglas

I am from cold, miserable rainy days,

The kind when all you can do is stay inside

And beg for it to stop,

Old VCR movies on tiny television screens,

And poufy princess dresses.

I am from the “SNAP! CRACK,” of obnoxious fireworks Daddy made every 4^th of July,

Lying in the bitter sweet smelling grass waiting for the day to go by,

And the constant wonders of, “who am I?”

            

I am from cookies left on the kitchen counter,

Low enough to whisper to me

And tempt me to snatch a few,

Muddy footprints on the hardwood floors,

And big blue eyes,

Like the color of an empty swimming pool on a hot summer day,

That are always noticed.

I am from the smell of freshly roasted coffee being grounded at every moment of every day,

Family only a few minutes away,

And living the life of a mistake child

From “16 and Pregnant”.

I am from being a beautiful dancer,

To being a pop star like the amazing Hannah Montana,

To being a gorgeous model in every magazine known to man;

All when I was eight

In my bedroom, of course.

I am from picking plums off of trees we weren't supposed to go near,

Daring my older (boy) cousins to touch the fish in Na’s “toxic” green pond,

And running around in her vast, grassy field

Until I couldn't feel my legs.

I am from loud individual karaoke in the shower,

The big truck we cleverly named Slurpee,

And the motorcycles in Na and Pa’s garage

I’ve always dreamed of riding.

I am from Aunt Sheryl’s top secret guacamole recipe,

Na’s famous “Melt-In-Your-Mouth- Pancakes” every Saturday,

And messy marshmallows

Deliciously roasting over a fire.

We helped gather the wood.

I am from finding friends in the funniest of places,

Eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every single day for lunch,

And long, luscious curls freely swaying down to my lower back.

I am from “shut up”,

“Go outside and find something to do”, 

“This game is for boys only”,

And, “Suck it up, princess”.

I am from mysterious long car rides,

Whose destinations Daddy would always try to surprise me with,

Skating during the latest hours at Skate World,

And riding my two-wheeler on wet, Oregon pavement.

I am from church every Sunday morning, 

Always say your daily prayers,

And songs that we would hear repeatedly

Until the tune would be stuck in our heads

For the rest of the week.

I am from family reunions every weekend, Enormous hamburger and re-fried bean feasts,

And teddy bear shaped chocolate cake with chocolate icing,

That I would assist spreading.

I am from an unforgettably tragic divorce,

Choosing sides,

And the worst of heartaches.

But the uplifting Kelly Clarkson CD

Eased the pain during that time in our 

“all girl party house.”

I am from tracing raindrops as they fall down the car windows,

Watching Daddy play his video games before bedtime,

And making Mama colorful pictures from school to hang on the refrigerator. 

I am from the pictures of “Disorderly Children” (cousins) on Na’s wall,

The squawking bird that would repeatedly ask,

“What’s up, doc?”

Memories that stay in the back of my mind like a file folder;

Easy to access and take things out to smile about.

I am from Wegner and Douglas,

Good manners no matter where you are,

And “just have a good time while you’re at it.”

I am from a house of fun,

I am from a house of order and strict manners,

And from those, I am who I am, today,

And always will be.

Hope you liked it!