“I Am From”
by Daniel Curran
I am from the Huntington Hospital, a child of California
Dreaming.
Born in the City of Roses,
at the foot the San Gabriel
Mountains
facing west towards Santa Catalina
Island and the setting sun.
I am from palm tree-lined streets and the oasis of South
Pasadena East of LA
I am from a quiet neighborhood of Wonder Years homes
bought by fathers returned from
fighting wars in Europe and the Pacific
passed on to them by grandfathers
who fought in The Great War.
I am from public schools with packs of Cub Scouts and doting
den-mothers.
I am from gangs of skater boys with absent workaholic
fathers
Lost boys with
too much time on their hands
scratching the sidewalks
with their skateboards
in search of vitamins
for their souls.
I am from an ancient people of an island green and a
Rhineland grey
I am from peoples who couldn’t bear their tyrants and famines
Who sent
their boys and girls away to survive
to thrive in a
brave new world across the sea
I am from Irish men and German women
whose woodshops and farms in
Middle-America could not hold them
I am from son’s and daughters who came West 100 years ago
to build The Golden State’s towns,
and schools and hydroelectric dams
I am from “Philip” the Evangelist
who loved Books and befriended Ethiopians
who crossed cultures by climbing up
into chariots
to
explain the Word of God
I am from “Daniel” the Prophet, conqured, captured, and exiled
of royal blood, of oppressed
language
of
persecuted faith, of resolute spirit
who chose not to defile himself
with Babylon
who
chose to pray, serve and die for his God
I am from “Curran” –old Irish for spear
a man
enthralled by books, words, dreams and war
a man
wielding a Sword
that wages peace
on earth
for the High King
of Kings
college students. It is such a privilege and an honor to come alongside them, entrusting them with what we have learned about walking with Jesus with the eager expectation that they too would pass on to others!
Daniel Curran
