Where Pippi's From

I found the following poem in Pippi's backpack, written for an assignment.  It touched my heart.  Pippi's growing up and everything she thinks about isn't necessarily coming out of her mouth or even shown in her actions.  But her writing is beginning to reveal her.

I'm from birdseed

from millet and sunflower seeds

I am from the yellow walls

that look like banana cream

I am from the hibiscus flower

The rose bush whose long gone 

limbs I remember as if they were my own

I'm from Halloween and blue eyes

from Quinn and Daphne and Stacy

I'm from freckles and height

and from leanness

I'm from do your work and go play 

and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

I'm from birthdays

I'm from Utah and Plymouth

Sushi and homemade cookies

From the brain tumor my sister had 

that she died from

A memory of her is stored 

in my heart