Dear Family and Friends,

I am thrilled to share with you that my poem “I Am From” has been nominated for Publication of the Month by Spillwords Press! This recognition is an honor, especially, to be in the company of many talented writers. A huge thanks to Dagmara, her team at Spillwords, and to you for your amazing support by visiting Spillwords and giving my poem a ❤️ and/or leaving a comment. I appreciate you! 💝

Voting has begun and will conclude on Sunday, June 29th. I am asking for your support, but in order to vote, you’ll need to log in or register here: https://spillwords.com/vote/.

The winning publication will be prominently featured on the Spillwords.com sidebar throughout the entire month of July, gaining well-deserved recognition from our global audience. Below are the nominees:

I Am From

I am from my mom’s emotions
that had a mind of their own
so wild at times emulating a summer storm
I am from my dad’s humor
where smiles bloomed
but his temper too in my less patient moods

I am from flower petals I did not plant
Mom’s were nurtured – my thumbs weren’t green
yet the petals’ beauty is always seen
I am from butter, sugar (granulated and brown),
vanilla, baking powder and soda,
and nuts, yes, sometimes this is the case,
and chocolate chips in their tantalizing ways

I am from the moon in her mystery
The sun in his radiance
The lake in its serenity

I am from the well-liked and the shunned
the self-doubt lodged on my shoulders
the redwoods standing tall
I am from planned and spontaneity
clarity and ambiguity

I am from the Big Bear cabin on the corner
from laps and splashes in Orange County pools
I am from “When you have children, you’ll understand”
I am from two sanctuaries for finding God
to discovering faith near mountains and sand

I am from me
unique, quirky, strong, kind,
a used-to-be people-pleaser
the third of three daughters
I am from knowledge still pouring in
like a flood of surging waters
I am from gratitude for every little blessing
from those I love, from being loved
I am.

(Inspired by the poem “Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyon)

It’s never easy to ask for support, but I hope you’ll take the time to vote by June 29th, which you can do here. Thank you in advance, and I express my gratitude again to Dagmara and her amazing team at Spillwords for continuing to feature my work. It’s a privilege to be a part of her wonderful literary community. ❤️🙏

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© Lauren Scott, Baydreamerwrites.com
This blog content cannot be used to train AI.
All Spillwords photos and nominee list
courtesy of Spillwords Press.