where i'm from: isabel drive

"isabel drive"

i finally finished my "where i'm from" poem that was inspired by this year's paa core (core41/41love) retreat that i helped facilitate for them.

if you wanna do it too, holler at me for the prompt!

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WHERE I'M FROM

By Krystle Pasco

I am from Pilipino leche flan, from lola’s hand-me-down recipes and three generations of strong Pilipina womyn.

I am from the two bedroom house on Isabel Drive, Spanish architecture, Pilipino interior, and Auntie’s orchids that paint rainbows in our driveway.

I am from the sweet Sampaguita and the overgrown banana trees in our front yard.

I am from Friday night worship and obnoxious laughter, from Amparo and Gavina, Villania’s and Pasco’s.

I am from the always-late to Christmas Eve with the family in Riverside and racist jokes at family reunions.

From ”don’t forget to say hi to your uncle and auntie, they gave you money” and ”Jun, oh, I mean Ning, come here! Look at the tv!”

I am from Saturday morning Pilipino gospel music, turkey bacon (instead of regular bacon because we don’t really eat that pork stuff), eggs over easy, dad’s homemade corned beef with sliced onions and tomatoes, and garlic fried rice all before church at 11:30a, even though church started at 10:45a.

I'm from Keene, Texas and family reunification by way of transnational migration, fried plantains with sugar and chicken chicharon.

From dad’s chronic high blood pressure, his love for fishing, and mom’s diabetes.

I am from abandoned family albums on dusty bookshelves and missing recollections of my childhood before I could even say, “mommy.”