I am From

Lost beads of glass

Strung together
To form a semblance of a whole

Shiny blues
   Silvered grays
      The opalescence of greens
               tossed over and over
                      amidst the sand and water of my home

I am from

Wide open unfinished porches
      Toes up to the edge
              Standing tall in the doorway looking out

I am from gathering grandmothers arms
     aprons with pockets
            filled with Salem cigarettes
                    green packages bring me back

I am from

Nothing

Cast off from family
      left alone to make my way
          Wandering tall buildings of a new city
               trapped in bricks
                    held tight against my history

I am from

Fading hearing
       giving way to clarity

I am from

Silent buses moving me

I am from the power to say I can't hear
      and safety of a friend
            to help me maneuver through my
                  new noisy intrusive world

I am from Love

and from reclamation

Riding the bus again - after a long winter of Hank the sinus infection

The usual cast of characters were waiting for me:

Paper clip man -
            he smokes cigarettes and marijuana
            His left nostril always has a bent paper clip sticking out of it

She's in her 80's and works at McDonald's
             She rides the 11 bus
             Buys her cigarettes at Sentryz
             Dyed blonde hair
             Mixed matched clothes which some how work
             Broadway and University is her McDonalds

Deaf guy
             Talks to himself in ASL
              Usually talks to me about Christianity
                with gestures to his crucifix

Dusty
              Holds a phone to his ear and has conversations
              Thoughtful conversations with appropriate gestures
               Sometimes he puts the phone down
               The conversation continues

Brown skin woman
             Adorned with layers of colors
              Bags
              Rings
              Bracelets
              Sun Glasses
              Necklaces
              Ever present pristine painted nails

Aubrey and her Mom
              Aubrey has moved from baby to
                  4 year old Aubrey knowing who she is
              Mom cajoles, sings to, pleads to walk faster
              The bus is coming
              Time to go