“I’m From Charms”

By Melinda Phillips

I’m from stacks of Vogue

Sticks of lavender incense

Old Barry Manilow records

And funky leopard prints

Mannequins

Sketches and knock off Chanel

Candles burning smoothly

Small tributes to pop art and irony

Spearmint tea

I’m from perpetual fountains

And theatrical attempts at gardening

My boyfriend’s rusty, talented charcoal grill

And a pond of Koi and stones

Whimsical garden fantasies

And gnomes

I’m from tree houses

Rude neighborhood children

Noisy railroad tracks

And secret walkways

Playgrounds perched attentively throughout

Mid sized cars secured in their driveways

And yappy dogs

              I’m from my mom, graceful, overwhelmed

              And my dad- Irish, arrogant, drunk

              My Mamaw, my Papaw, my Uncle Cecil

              Some influential people

              Some mentors and substitutes

              Icons… Marilyn Monroe

I’m from chants of “Legalize It”

Endless quotes from “The Big Lebowski”

“Question the answers”

Paranoia

Singing along with the Stones

I’m from toast any time of day

Virgin margaritas

White rice goes with anything

                                                                                                                The perfect taco salad

Cocoa at Christmas

And cider in the fall

               Mocha, frapa- whatever’s to wake up

I’m from collages on the inside of my locker          door

Black and white photos and clumsily taped home videos

Boxes of shells from beach vacations

I’m from a bracelet heavy with charms