Where Im From By George Ella Lyon Analysis

Imagery in literature brings the work to life for the reader. It draws the reader in and surrounds them with the environment of the story. In the poem, “Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyon, Lyon reflects upon both her culture and her family. Lyon uses imagery along with specific words and phrases in order to represent her family as well as her culture. In the poem, there are many phrases that play on imagery to convey a sense of culture and family. One phrase from the very beginning writes, “I am from clothespins, from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride.” (1-2). Firstly, these are all things that most families traditionally have within their homes. Also, Clorox gives the idea of strong-smelling, making it memorable and able to connect back to family. In the first stanza, she writes, “I am from the dirt under the black porch. Black, glistening, it tasted like beets.” (3-5). This gives the author a chance to connect with a more down-home style of family and way of life. Also in the first stanza might be one of the more powerful uses of
She writes, “I’m from He restoreth my soul with a cottonball lamb and ten verses I can say myself.” (15-18) This implies that her family or culture could’ve instilled a need for religion in her life, with the “cottonball lambs” could mean her or her family. Then the ten verses represent the Ten Commandments, which plenty of people know and have memorized. She also speaks very personally of her immediate family. “From the finger my grandfather lost to the auger, the eye my father shut to keep his sight.” (20-22) Speaking of her father and grandfather on this level indicates the closeness with her family. Lastly, she writes, “I am from those moments-- snapped before I budded-- leaf-fall from the family tree.” (27-29). This sense of belonging to a family shows the importance of this within her life and how she continues to carry those ideas with