Angelique Gagnon

Where I’m From #2By Angelique GagnonInspired by George Ella LyonI am from sheet music,From bacon grease saved in glass jars and Land-O-Lakes butter.I am from the brown Victorian house thatby outward appearance never reached its full potential,(2-story, kept at 65 degrees, in the sub-zero winter.)I am from the Lily of the Valley,delicate, late birthday gift of Spring,whose aroma I secretly wished I could embody.I’m from the Christmas tree going up after Thanksgiving dinnerand letting music move our bodies.From Alverta Mae and Ulysses Duke.I’m from the daily giving of hugs and kisses,and long explorative conversations.From “sparkle plenty!” and “you’re my pumpkin pie.”I’m from the small generational Episcopal church,the Guild of the Black Madonna,Miss Mabel sharing butterscotch candies,and the lighting of four purple Advent candles.I’m from the Twin Cities andthe Corams who chose not to “pass” for white,slow-cooked collard greens andplastic gallon buckets of Kemp’s ice cream.From the sobering talks in teenage years,struggles with alcoholism on both side of the family,and my mom’s deliberate directive to change that genetic expression.The old-time-y tunes, hummedaccompaniment to step wet feet on a towel’s edge,while her grand wrinkled hands used the rest to pat me dry.In the living room on a bookshelf of reclaimed woodare three intentional photo albums my mother assembledmonths prior, in anticipation of her final days.For arms that can no longer hold me,mouths no longer tell stories,my eyes can still meet their still captured faces:pages of life that rise into mine.Where to find Angelique:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelqtwo/Where to find Alyson:Website: https://www.alysonshelton.comSubstack: https://whereimfrom.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/byalysonshelton/