A Literary Where I’m From by Toni Ruscitto-D’Addario

I’m from Italian alphabet chants and Italian number songs.
From the church hymns and prayers that my nonna valued so.

I’m from the broken English and Italian combination daily expressions
Metti allu garbeech, giocca nella backayard and don’t go in the frontaroom.

I’m from sitting and listening to stories of school days and childhood in small town Italy
and the when I was your age analogies.

I’m from reading groups-high, medium, low.
From ‘I’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’ , change the ‘y’ to ‘I’ and add ‘es’, and when two vowels go walking the first one does the talking.

I’m from Mr. Muggs and Dr. Seuss,
From Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew,
From Sesame Street, Electric Company, Polka Dot Door and Mr. Rogers.

I’m from the monthly walks with my teacher to the what seemed ever so far library,
From the weekly adventures in the Bookmobile parked in the school yard.

My later days introduced me to Shakespeare, Catcher in the Rye, Of Mice and Men,
And Le Petit Prince.

Full circle I have come today as a teacher and a mom of two,
I now read emails, texts, pings and the news on yahoo.

When the day is done, I’m from Sudoku, crosswords, and Vogue in bed,
And finally a nightly prayer recited or read.