Poetry by numbers

I am from an island. I am from changing skies. I am from sunshine with scattered showers. I am from empty beaches and umbrellas. I am from damp and mildew. I am from sunburn and blisters on the ‘one hot day of the Summer’. I am from north channel and south channel. I am from hot presses, immersion switches and occasional cold baths. I am from green grass and yellow gorse. I am from the Lough and the Cuban House and the Western Road and the dairy farm.

I am from Barry’s Tea and Hadji Bey’s turkish delight. I am from home grown potatoes and poached eggs. I am from meat and two vegetables. I am from illicit oranges. I am from creme caramel and smoked salmon and chips. I am from Taytos and swizzle sticks.

I am from fancy dress, choirs, ballet classes, elocution and amateur dramatics. I am from school outings to the park. I am from apple trees. I am from swings. I am from headless daffodils. I am from tree bark rubbings. I am from paddling pools and garden hoses. I am from tennis and back garden football and frantic outdoor table tennis. I am from clubs in the attic, chasing in the hall and hide outs under the steps. I am from dust motes dancing in sunlight. I am from big rooms, long corridors, empty landings and 5 flights of stairs.

I am from books. I am from John D. McDonald and Father Brown. I am from Georgette Heyer and Nero Wolfe. I am from Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie. I am from Hilaire Belloc and Samuel Pepys. I am from Pickwick Papers and the Diary of a Country Parson. I am from Neville Shute and Isaac Asimov. I am from Pushkin and Gogol. I am from P.G Wodehouse and Gibbon.

I am from fervent catholicism. I am from First Communions and Mass and Confirmations. I am from crowded churches with speakers outside. I am from Palatines and Puritans. I am from moving statues. I am from closing down factories, strikes and jobless growth. I am from oil crises and government crises. I am from emigration and unemployment.

I am from leg warmers and Adidas Roms. I am from gaberdeens and blazers, knee socks and hitched up school skirts. I am from wet hair and wet wool. I am from cycling to school and a three penny bus fare. I am from bunsen burners, language labs, nuns and all weather hockey pitches.

I am from drugs and reactions. I am from brilliance and indolence. I am from procrastination and kindness. I am from eloquence and silence. I am from long fingers and dark under eye shadows. I am from crankiness and patience. I am from love, helpless laughter and forgetfulness.

From Charlotte who did a much better job.

What are you from?