Julia Santos

Julia Santos is a finalist in the Housing Leadership Council’s 2021 Youth Poetry Competition (6-12 category).

Poem on Belonging

WHERE I’M FROM

I am from a two story pink house
From a place where there’s no neighbors and the lots filled with grass 
I am from a house filled with joy and happiness
And from a house full of adventures and challenges

I am from my lolo and lola
From where I learned to never hold grudges
I am from a place where I learned to always forgive
I am from a place that taught me to never be
scared and never give up
From where I learned na wag ka tumingin sa likod at baka ikaw ay matapilok.

I am from a house that taught me to be always happy.
I am from a place where A celebration to last throughout the years. 
From where I learned to always smile and laugh
at those moments where you felt down.

I am from a place where I learned to respect and love myself first
From a place that taught me to always put yourself first 
I am from a house where I learned that
You can’t love and respect someone 
if you can’t love and respect yourself
I am from a Filipino house.

Copyright © 2022 by Julia Santos. Used with permission of the author.