I am from watching the sunset as I drive home, 

and feeling relieved as I see the

 sun reflecting on my window, and a tiny head looking at me.

I am from a hideous room, with five walls

 and the floor covered in clothes.

An obnoxiously loud TV playing, silent people 

watching, from the sound of

Old Fashioneds being made, 9:00 on the dot. 

Creaks of the old, wood floor when I sneak to the 

kitchen late at night to get more food.

I am from having hopes and dreams that we 

work hard on and letting them slip away. 

Practicing hard for the sports we love, and trying 

 to stay in touch with the instruments we play.

I traveled nights and days to Las Vegas and small cities, 

which brought me here.

I am from a DS to a Rightside to a outside.

I am from passing and hitting setting and spiking.

I am from Jerseys and Jerseys and an 

uncomfortable practice shirt.

I am from playing soccer since i was 

5 and not really loving it until I’m 11

I am from a forward to a middle to a defensive player

I am from offers and offers for the sports i play 

and having to decline or choose only 1

I am from a house that smells of delicious

 food being cooked from the small, warm kitchen

 as the smell travels to my nose at the front door, when

 I get home. 

Little Original Joe’s every time my dad doesn’t cook.

And arguing what we should have for dinner as my dad

 turns on the stove.

I am from entering a house full of yells from my cousins, 

arguing over something, at a holiday dinner. 

I am from two different tables, one full of adults and 

one full of cousins, some plates filled with food about to 

topple over, others with room for a whole steak.

From playing a game, like hide and seek, or a game like Uno

with my cousins, that ends in yells and hollars every time.

I am from p

              u

            s

          h

        i

      n

   g 

      and 

  S

    h

      o

        v

           i

             n

                g,

                h

               i

              t

             t

            i

          n

         g

           and 

        k

          i

            c

               k

                  i

                    n

                       g, because that’s what we do. 

I am from having a second home, that isn’t actually my home

Twice a year, summer and winter, summer for our birthdays, 

and winter for Christmas. 

Skiing and swimming, warm and cold, layers and layers to one thin shirt. 

Somewhere it’s burning hot as the sun wakes us up every morning. 

To our parents sitting near the fire at night as we play in the snow. 

Biking and snow ball fights, icicles and leaves, open windows and

 doors to a house shut closed.

I am from being bullied by my cousins and 

siblings to being complimented by my friends. 

From nicknames that I like and ones that I hate.

From playing games with my friends and being

 told I’m good, and other times I’m not.

I am from a world that has had a bad couple of years. 

A world where disaster has struck one after another.

A scary virus that has killed millions of people, a virus named Covid-19

There are two different sides:

People who wear masks and people who don’t, people 

who got vaccinated and people who won’t.

At first 2 weeks,but weeks turned into years.

In 2021, there was an attack on the Capital, gunshots and 

yells filled the building, a year ago today (January 6, 2022)

Now we have to wear two masks, we can’t sit close, and more 

seats get emptied every day.

This is where I’m from