I Am From...

By Marsha Forbes

I am from is a compilation of student poetry, written by students from several schools within the Peel District School Board from grades 4-8. This book was inspired by an Identity unit, where as a component, my grade 8 class created "I Am From" poems. The diverse voices highlighted through these poems were refreshing - like a little "Chicken Soup for the Soul". With the voice of diversity so pronounced, it seemed fitting to support our newcomers by dedicating one hundred percent of the proceeds from this book toward providing backpacks for newcomers within the Peel District School Board. Presently, Peel is proud to be the fastest growing immigrant population in Canada. The idea was shared with other schools within our board, and the teachers and students responded to the opportunity, resulting in this "I am From..." compilation that we share with you today.
Enjoy our stories...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 13, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469197807

Book preview

I am from . . .

Marsha Forbes

Copyright © 2012 by Marsha Forbes.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2012906575

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4691-9779-1

                   Softcover                                 978-1-4691-9778-4

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4691-9780-7

t

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

108117

Contents

Lougheed Middle School Grade 8 Students

Calderstone Middle School Grade 8 Students

Williams Parkway

Senior Public School Grade 7 Students

Fernforest Public School Grade 4 Students

Hanover Public School Grade 5 Students

This book is dedicated to our newcomer students. We say welcome!

Lougheed Middle School Grade 8 Students

I am from

Rice and peas and Guinness punch with roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.

I am from ackee and salt fish and fish and chips.

I am from Sunday school and bible swords, from Amy Grant and Andre Crouch.

I am from break dancing on strips of cardboard, hide and go seek with the kids on the block, and street hockey on the curve.

I am from immigrant parents and hard work, privilege, and opportunity.

I am from cassette tapes and Sony Walkman’s, the Commodore 64, Atari and Donkey Kong, with the old black and

white TV that served as our monitor.

I am from hot summer nights, with dominoes slapping the table, down in the kitchen below my bedroom.

As I toss and turn wondering what is the greater evil that robs me from my sleep:

The smug humidity that envelops my bedroom or the ivory that slams on our old kitchen table coupled with the heckling of my father and his friends, who hours ago sent me to my room because it’s way past my bedtime and I need to get my sleep.

I am from trips to Wasaga Beach as we venture down Airport Road

—which then was dirt and one lane each way.

I am from wagon wheels and refilled juice bottles, watching others with their Joe Louis and cans of pop.

I am from Professor’s Lake and Chinguacousy Park, Avondale bowl, roller skating at Skate Country and movies like Pinocchio at the movie cinema in the Bramalea City Centre.

I am from family and laughter, big meals on holidays and a dishwasher for special occasions. The other 360 days?

Child labours of course—why else would your parents have four children.

By: Marsha Forbes—Grade 8 Teacher

I am from

The computers, TVs and radios

I am from the big Comfy Couch and Dora the Explorer

I am from a house that I share with 2 brothers and 3 sisters

I am from the sugar cane that my brother brings back from his yearly trips

I am from the forest, where owls hoots and halers cradle me to sleep

I am from Sunday mornings where I get up early to praise god

From aunts and uncles, cousins and grandparents that call in from all over the world

I’m from parties and celebrations

I am from sayings that my dad uses to tell me like never give up and try your best

I am from lullabies, which my mom use to sing to me

I am from Brampton, Ontario, from Jamaica, and England

From festivals and patties

I am from 13 uncles and 15 aunts, and an English grandmother that has a strong accent

From them coming to visit us, and getting tons of souvenirs from all over the world

From using 2 coach buses to fit half of my family in to go to the Jamaica beach, but there still

wasn’t enough space so we had to order another coach bus, which still everyone didn’t fit

I am from the hugs and kisses friends and family give me

I’m from piles and piles of candy

I’m from skinny jeans and SWAGGER

I’m from hip-hop and gospel

From family, classmates, friends, and neighbours

I am from . . .

The World.

By: Lonike Samuels—Grade 8

I am from

The television in my family room, sitting on a stand much too small for it, playing classic comedies like ‘Family Guy,’ as well as, ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘Everybody Hates Chris.’

From our ancient Nintendo 64, sitting abandoned in its dusty old box reminding me of when I was younger and had an addiction to ‘Super Mario 64’ and our modern Xbox 360, which in a few years will probably sit in a dusty old box of its own.