Of DNA and family lore
DNA and family lore …
From the fields of barley and potato famine came the stranger
but who really was this man
across the north Atlantic to the rock without a name
towards a new beit mysterious land
An english flintlock pistol and family sword hidden in the trunk
and a dream of fields unstoned
no experience but a soldier
what confliction this a man of cloth atoned
A family history of simple soldiers and fire
breathing ministrations of god
When he asked what do I do in this new land
the savior gave his nod
I listened to his stories unchanged by the passage
of centuries eons and lore
not much has changed one to the other
and will change never more
They say the DNA doesn’t lie that we now know
the secrets of the eternal mind
but you …….. you carried the secrets with you
transferring your memory to mine
I don’t need the tests of bloodlines to know
the truth was ever there
that honesty begins in the eye’s
and never never breaks it’s stare
My father was a soldier his before him a man of god
my mother but a farmers offspring
together they raised a family of confliction
soldiers of sons and gardens of spring
Yes there are a million family secrets yes we each have our legends
and histories to tame
and unless we can make legends all by ourselves
this DNA is to blame
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Awesome piece Ed. I for one have done a lot of work chasing down my own genealogy and the basis of my own DNA. Each and every one of us have some very interesting characters in our past family.
Great piece, Ed. There are some legends in my family and I would love to track down truths with DNA. Take care and Happy New Year.
I love how you brought the images of the “potato famine” into my mind to discuss heritage and genetic memory. This is my kind of poem a mixture of imagery and scientific philosophy. Thank you for sharing. Jamie
A wonderful read Ed. I have long thought of trying to investigate my family tree, especially on my mothers side. This has ignited that spark again.
Excellent piece Ed. I should probably learn my ancestry at some point. Seeing yours has left me with a curious mind. What secrets could i uncover. Nice job again
Ed this is where you reply to us as well. This is what we were talking about a few weeks ago.
By the way , I assume you are talking about that of Tony moving on to other things ?
Gee Paul ! In my defense , I have been commenting on many writings since our collective conversation , however I have a job too that requires too much of my time lately. AND I also tend to write my stuff and not look at it as much as I should AFTERWARDS to return comments . Sorry if I miss this as I’d rather read others work than my own .
Thank you for reading and commenting !
John , Thank you sir ! Yes , I highly recommend searching your DNA . More than that perhaps -I have had a ball searching my family history over the last ten or twelve years and have learned some amazing things !
Thank you again my friend !
Jamie , Thank you so much ! There is soo much that I’ve learned about my own family history !
I have searched for hours , days , weeks on end and recently done my DNA .
If you haven’t tried this I truly recommend it .
Thank you !
Phyllis , I think I spent $59,99 for my DNA test and I do recommend it for you , the legends are perhaps more interesting too. Thank you for always propping me up and being here !
Be well !
Kurt , You are absolutely right my friend ! I have to say especially given my more recent family history , my family’s distant past is even more interesting !
THank you for sharing !
Ah the DNA trail of ancestors before us. I have traced my father’s side far back as 1754 and we came out of Yorkshire England, granted a parcel of land in Nova Scotia Canada, farmers and tradesmen. I love history and some of the stories of my father’s side are very dicey and exciting. I didn’t do a DNA on myself, I was given a family tree dug up by one of my cousins with the same last name, he was my father’s brothers son. You spun a wonderful tale, exciting journey indeed Ed. Well penned.
Thank you Vincent , I’m amazed how closely the family stories were to reality , English -Scots- Irish – a little Norway , Sweden , It’s all so interesting reading about family alongside national history , for instance a diary of a revolutionary soldier serving in George Washington’s honor guards , my mothers side a wounded civil war vet ………….I love it .