*MY FAMILY TREE POEM*

GOING THROUGH OLD FAMILY SNAPS
 THERE WERE FACES LOOKING AT ME
 UNKNOWN LADIES AND CHAPS
 SO I STARTED A FAMILY TREE

TO BRING THE BRANCHES TOGETHER
 IS MUCH HARDER THAN YOU'D THINK
 WITH HOURS AND HOURS OF SEARCHING
 HOPING TO FIND A LINK

MY TREE I KNEW WOULD GROW AND GROW 
 IN WHICH DIRECTION I DID NOT KNOW
 I BEGAN RELATIVES STILL ALIVE
 AND MY PARENTS WEDDING IN '55'

FIRST ON LIST WAS MANDIE,
 WHEN WE MET... 'OH LUCKY DAY'
 BIG THANKS GO TO HER PARENTS
 DAD TOM AND OF COURSE MUM KAY

NEXT BROUGHT TO MIND 
 WERE MY BOYS
 AND THE GREATEST MOMENTS
 WITH TEARS AND JOYS

MY SIBLINGS  SISTER DIANE 
 AND ALSO BROTHER GARY
 ALL THEIR LOVELY CHILDREN 
 AND THE PARTNERS THEY DID MARRY

SOME PEOPLE IN THE PHOTOS
 I'D NEVER HEARD OF IN MY LIFE
 BUT I FOUND IT SO REWARDING
 TO FIND MY GREAT GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER AND HIS WIFE

I DISCOVERED I HAVE IRISH ROOTS
 AND A GREAT GRANDFATHER WHO WAS A MAKER OF BOOTS
 MANY RELATIONS WORKING DOWN PITS 
 AND TONS AND TONS OF INTERESTING BITS

I'VE BEEN LUCKY TO FIND SOME COUSINS
 AND WE'VE MET FACE TO FACE
 OTHERS I HAVE ONLY FOUND
 IN THEIR FINAL RESTING PLACE

SOME ANCESTORS WERE SOLDIERS 
 BURIED IN FAR AND DISTANT LANDS
 THEY HAD FOUGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM 
 AND NOW THEY'RE SAFE IN GODS HANDS

I HAVE RELATIVES NOW OF MANY COLOURS 
 AS WELL AS CREED AND RACE
 NOT ONLY HERE IN ENGLAND
 BUT ALL OVER THE BLOODY PLACE

SO IF YOU WANT TO BUILD YOUR OWN TREE
 START WITH LITTLE SHOOTS
 YOU WILL SOON ENOUGH DISCOVER
 YOU ALSO HAVE GOT ROOTS

MY FAMILY SHOULDN'T BE FORGOTTEN 
 AND MY TREE IS STILL BRANCHING OUT
 WHERE DID I ORIGINATE FROM
 AND WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT

TO ANCESTORS LONG DEPARTED 
 AND THOSE LIVING RELATIVES TOO
 I FEEL THAT WE ARE CLOSER NOW
 AND I'M PLEASED TO HAVE KNOWN YOU.