FAMILY HISTORY
Researching family history can be lots of fun,
Yet you may regret the day that you first begun,
For once you get started it’s quite hard to let go,
As farther back in history your roots start to show.

Seeking for many years our family names to find,
We’d even sleep with genealogy on our mind.
Searching around grave yards in the pouring rain,
Looking through old records, your mind would drain.

Sitting at a reader trying to read worn out chicken scratch.
Then finding on one of your names a great big ink blotch.
But then in the quiet library you want to shout for joy,
When you find at last your fifth great grandad’s lost boy.

It’s fun talking to old relatives, so grab them while you can,
They love talking about the old times and it’s a sound plan,
Until they give you a pile of old photographs, a joy to see,
But then you try and sort them out, it’s as hard as can be.

Uncle Fred with our Millie on uncles Charles wedding day,
Another states all my children with Polly on our big holiday,
All those old relatives, yet you cannot work out who’s who,
You just feel like screaming the rest of the day through.

But with all the scratchy writing and pictures without a name,
The rewards are wonderful as for new goals you want to aim,
Fifteen generations back we’ve gone back and there’s more,
If we can get over this hurdle and open yet another door.

(Millicent) Ann Margetson July 1, 2002