Residents of Clallam County are invited to submit your “Where I’m From” poems to Poet Laureate Nellie Bridge for potential publication in a printed anthology.

Your submission will help shape the anthology. Please send in your favorite poem using the form below, and encourage your friends, too!

George Ella Lyon wrote “Where I’m From,” inspired by her friend Jo Carson’s book, Stories I Ain’t Told Nobody Yet. Here’s how to write your own:

Begin each line, sentence, or just every now and then with “I am from…” followed by a specific detail, name, smell, words that echo, or other important specific item from your life. The details do not need to come from Clallam County. There aren’t actually any rules, but specificity and realness are key.

I am from the dirt under the back porch.
(Black, glistening,
it tasted like beets.)
—George Ella Lyon, from the original “Where I’m From” poem

I am from the rough birch tree in the backyard.
I am from the sharp rocks under the carport piercing through the dry dirt.
I am from soft and scratchy carpet at the back of my room.
I am from Drake’s beach and around the world.
—Nevada Batcheller, 10 years old

I am from the book read by the fire.
I am from the spray bouncing off the water by the motorboat motoring around.
I am from the sand on the ocean floor next to the thousands of others…
—June VanDenburg, 12 years old

I am from flannels and pajama pants
From Carhartt’s and Etnie’s
or Georgia boots.
—Rachel Sullivan-Owens

I am from the Year of the Tiger on a paper placemat at Moon Palace.
I am from Gold Creek and figurines from Red Rose tea.
—Nellie Bridge

I’m from my grandmother’s hand cream that smells like flowers
but at the same time smells nothing like flowers at all.
—Ana Andrade

If you have technical questions about attachments or the submission form, contact ehelp@nols.org.

If you have questions about poetry, please contact Nellie Bridge at poetlaureate@nols.org.

Learn more about the Poet Laureate at nols.org/poet.