Confluence/Where I’m From

Yesterday, I came home from work exhausted and not feeling the greatest, so I sat down to rest and scroll through social media and my emails. I got one email regarding a poetic memoir challenge for March. I can’t afford to pay to join the challenge right now, but I did some Googling for poetic memoir prompts just to do some playing on my own. I couldn’t find much of what I was looking for out there, but I did find one site that really sparked my creativity.

On this site, I found some examples of Where I’m From poetic memoir forms, and I decided to write my own as a springboard to starting my own poetic memoir. I really like what I have so far, and I can see quite a few poems sprouting from this. The title Confluence comes from a facination with a place I hold dear, the spot in Millersburg where the Wiconisco Creek meets the Susquehanna River–the confluence. I had the idea that much of who I am comes from the confluence of people, experiences, and ideas.

Confluence/Where I’m From

I’m from California to Pennsylvania.

I’m from March Air Force Base to Millersburg.

I’m from the Susquehanna River, the Wiconisco Creek, and Hen Hottenstein’s pond .

I’m from Berry Mountain, the Millersburg Ferry, and The MYO Park.

I’m from haunted old Victorian house to newly-built haunted two-story.

I’m from German farmers and career military men.

I’m from my first dog Fox to my first cat Crickett.

I’m from baby and only girl to elementary school aunt.

I’m from crowd-following Shaun Cassidy fan to closeted Culture Club and Barry Manilow fan.

I’m from solitary cemetery creeper and never-lonely library visitor.

I’m from straight-A student and socially-awkward teen

I’m from shy, soft-spoken people-pleaser to bold-dressing creative independent.

I’m from ghost stories and Halloween to church plays and Sunday school teacher.

I’m from judgmental Pharisee to belief-shamed outcast to doubting deconstructionist.

I’m from unwavering faith to soul-shaking doubt.

I’m from liturgy and hymns to Spirit-led and praise choruses and back again.

I’m from traditional church to pantheistic practitioner to Metaphysical Christian.

I’m from needing love and acceptance to wanting to be free and independent.

I’m from hair dyed red to camouflage dresses.

I’m from Matchbox cars to Barbie dolls.

I’m from dreams that have died to dreams that I’ve lived.

I’m from friends who became family to friends who were family all along.

I’m from damsel in distress waiting for a knight in shining armor to self-sufficient broad who donned the armor and rescued herself.

I’m from dandelions in the front yard to violets on a secluded woodland path.

I’m from lost in my mother role to strong in my family ties.