Easton, PA

May 01 is my New York Anniversary. But I just visited home and would like to tell you about where I come from. I come from macadam and crabgrass. Wet cement and the rattle of chain link fences. I come from The Fourth of July. I come from September 11th and Freedom Fries. I come from chaos. I come from the tri-state area. I come from people who worked in steel mills. I come from Sunday Lunch. I come from bloated Italians. I come from rural Italy. I come from suburbia. I come from a garden in the backyard. I come from unprotected sex. I came as a surprise. I come from The American Dream. I come from the nineties. I come from President Bush. I come from the early aughts. I come from The Spice Girls. I come from low rise denim. I come from generosity. I come from screen doors. I come from “you don’t have to knock, just come in.” I come from who wants coffee? I come from basements, youth groups and shame. I come from pimple cream and maxi pads and baby fat and chubrub. I come from malls and mall lemonade. I come from municipal sports. I come from the 2008 economic crash. I come from the hope of Obama. I come from people who were wrong for each other. I come from Avril Lavigne. I come from pro-ana Tumblr. I come from iPods. I come from spaghetti straps. I come from American Idiot. I come from Wawa parking lots. I come from scene kids. I come from preps and goths and burnouts and floaters and cheerleaders and kids in the closet. I come from SATs and big college envelopes. I come from Art School. I come from tattoos in Philadelphia. I come from shots of whiskey and PBR tallboys. I come from porches and stoops and cigarettes. I come from alcoholism. I come from despair. I come from 12 steps. I come from the age of binge. I come from pain. I come from psych wards. I come from SSRIs. I come from the prozac nation. I come from Oprah. I come from searchers. I come from self-help. I come from rock bottom. I come from my body. I come from hell. I come from disillusionment. I come from the internet. I come from desire. I come from longing. I come from screaming, crying, bitching, moaning and groaning. I come from begging, pleading, bargaining, reasoning, denial. I come from the end of the world. I come from the beginning. I come from peace like a river. I come from a dark box in a chamber in your mind begging you to suspend your disbelief. I come in peace. I come by the grace of God.