Where I'm From

I am from the Big House,

the heavy traffic on Saturday mornings,

and the football fanatics screaming of the sidelines,

I am from the orchards,

going apple picking on warm summer evenings,

and baking apple pies to share with the neighborhood,

I am from those days,

where snow endlessly falls,

and shoveling the driveway is a great upper body workout,

I am from the turning of "heat" and "a/c" at the same same,

and experiencing frostbite and sunburn in the same week,

I am from the tall tales,

Paul Bunyan and Baby the Blue Ox,

with flapjacks smothered with sweet syrup,

I am from the forests of trees,

from the large lakes that surround us,

the petoskey stones and apple blossoms,

I am from those memories,

that will never fade away,

for they are my past,

and will always be my present.