I am from a stuffed bunny,
from Build-a-Bear and American Girl Dolls.
I am from the hot weather, where the sun feels like it’s right above you.
I am from the banana leaves,
the Sampaguita.
I am from eating rice with almost everything
and headstrong,
from Ervite
and Joey and Rowena.
I am from the will to keep going even you have nothing
and to make it in this world.
From “study hard”
and “get good grades.”
I am from the sign of the cross, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Further description.
I’m from Sydney but also the Philippines,
adobo and egg rolls.
From the military to shining shoes to selling newspapers to finding their way to the Americas to live a completely different life,
the drive and how to approach life
and the lessons on how to deal with it, too.
I am from black and white to colored pictures, polaroids, and now digital, movies that show and remind us how we all got here.
