Where I'm From

         
 Where I'm From...                                                

I'm from a old dusty red handled flour swifter, from fried okra, and sweet bread.

Mom's red-handled swifter and Grandma Queen's skillet

I’m from a remembered 4 story home, with a barn, ruled by my Mother’s voice and by my Father’s presence.

I’m from home grown variety gardens full of Collard Greens, Peppers, and Tomatoes. Acorns and Leaves. Azalea bushes, fresh cut grass; along with Honeysuckle lamb in summer.

Aunt Sarah, 100. Prepping Collard Greens. 

I am from big hearted, big eyes, high cheeks, with smiles long as the Mississippi River, all from a Granddaddy we only heard about, thru his Son J.E. and his wife Tinnie.

I’m from a lineage of Slaves, Sharecroppers, Civil Rights Advocates, Soldiers and Intellectual People of Wisdom.

From, “When one life was taken, another was Given”,  now you better “Run with it”.

I’m from a heritage of “We Baptist up in Here”, foot-stomping, hand clapping, singing Ol’ Time Religion songs, Chairman of the Deacon Board, Reverends,Doctors, Lawyers and Teachers all out of a small school called Merritt School for the Colored.

I’m from a small town called Oberlin. With parts of  Midway, Alabama and Bonaire, Georgia with a touch of  South Carolina. From Ancestors who were West African, Yoruba, with deep European roots that stretch along from the eastern shores all the way down south to Florida.

Africa in 1600's

From mealtimes that included rice and something fried along with a piece of some 2- tiered cake Mom made of chocolate or coconut. 

From, trips "Down Home" in the summer, were all my family gathered to have a good time, even in sorrow. We always had a feast spread out by the Elders. I come from barefoot walks to Ms. Mary Thomas’s candy store where 1$ could by you a small brown bag full of goodies.

I’m from the Slave, Ike Ivery, and his unbeknownst slaveowner. From Lizzie Jordan a Slave woman who bore children from the Irishman and her born into slavery husband George Daniel. She was a Woman of her time. Rumored to be a BlackFoot Indian and African. I’m from a Patriot from Pa with the Barrick name. 

I am from a crowd of beautiful faces of all shades of color from white to latte, honey to chocolate. From Love and Hate, from a place where you can’t put a price on our soul or our body. From a place were we are all counted and a place where we are Somebody to Everybody. That’s our Treasure of Worth.

From my friend Lisa D. Cooper. She showed me who she was through writing her story.  I want to share and show you some of ME. Thank You Lisa!


George Ella Lyon  Thank YOU! for this! 

This is where this Originally comes from. George Ella Lyon Writer and Teacher.  

I made my Version. 

Where are you from?