Julie L. Vandekreke

I´m from 65th court in Tinley Park, Illinois
Just a thousand miles away

I´m from my dad´s TV tray
Full of ashes and cheeze-it crackers
Until lung cancer took
My only parent from my life

I´m from black eyeliner and Aqua Net and
From contributing to the deterioration of the ozone layer,
And you know that story they tell you when you´re a teenager
That someday when you grow up, you´ll stop breaking out
After eating a half a bag of sour cream and chive Lays
Potato chips?
They lied.

I´m from Motley Crue
Vixen and Winger
Until I became older
And discovered Katy Perry.

I´m from taking a road trip
With my former husband to Colorado
And finding out I´d stay
For sixteen years.

I´m from fifteen published stories
And a dozen poems
But still haven´t finished:
My memoir, my fantasy novel and my young adult novel,
all about a teenage girl
(but not all about me)

I´m from "I´m still too young to
Have this life," and,
"I´m sorry for your loss."

I´m from here. Now.
Swirling the sounds.