THERE ARE ABOUT TEN GENERATIONS BACK
CONNECTED TO THIS FAMILY TREE,
DOWN NEAR THE BOTTOM LIMB - FASTENED
THERE ON A TINY TWIG - LITTLE OLE ME.

THIS TREE MUST BE GROWING VERY DEEP
AND ATTACHED TO A MIGHTY BIG ROOT,
THERE PROBABLY IS HANGING HERE: OUTLAWS
IN-LAWS, GANGSTERS AND THOSE WHO DON'T GIVE A HOOT !

AT THE TOP THERE ARE MANY "GREATS"
AMONG THEM MY GRANDMA AND GRANDPA,
AUNTS, UNCLES AND DOZENS OF COUSINS
TOO MANY TO BE ABLE TO COUNT THEM ALL.

OUT THERE LOCATED ON THE END TIP
NEAR THE END OF EACH AND EVER BRANCH,
THERE ARE RELATIVES LOCATED FROM EVERYWHERE
BIG CITY, SMALL TOWN, OUT WEST ON A RANCH.

I SURE HOPE THE WIND LETS IT CONTINUE TO STAND
THIS WONDERFUL OLD FAMILY TREE,
IF IT TUMBLED OVER TODAY OR NEXT WEEK
THERE WOULD BE NO DOUBT - IT MIGHT SQUASH ME !

EACH YEAR IT GROWS BIGGER AND BIGGER
NEW FACES ON A LIMB OFTEN APPEARS,
NEW IN-LAWS, COUSINS AND OTHER KIN
LITTLE BABIES BORN - AREN'T THEY DARLING CUTE !

THIS TREE MUST BE VERY VERY HUGE
HUNDRED OF INCHES MEASURING THE TRUNK AROUND,
SURE HOPE SOMEBODY DOESN'T GET A WILD IDEA
TO COME BY AND CHOP AND SAW IT DOWN !

FROM WAY DOWN HERE AT THE BOTTOM
I HAVE TROUBLE TRYING TO SEE,
ALL THOSE AMONG THE UPPER LIMBS
SURELY THEY ALSO WANT TO SEE ME !

I'M NOT RICH OR FAMOUS
HAVEN'T TAKEN A CRUISE TO FRANCE,
NEVER BEEN ON TV OR IN A MOVIE
NOR BEEN IN A CHORUS LINE TO DANCE.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT KIND OF TREE THIS IS
MIGHT BE MAPLE, HICKORY, ELM OR OAK,
BUT IT IS A GOOD STRONG SOUND TREE
NOT EVEN ONE BRANCH, LIMB OR TWIG HAS BROKE.

OVER ON OUR SECTION OF THE TREE
LOCATED AT THE TOP - GRANDMA AND GRANDPA,
THEN OUR MOM, DAD - ME AND MY TWO SISTERS
THAT'S EVERY FAMILY TREE LAW.

YOU ARE PUT IN ORDER BY YOUR AGE
THEN IF YOU MARRY YOU WILL BRANCH OUT,
THEN YOUR HUSBAND OR WIFE - CHILDREN ARE LISTED
IT JUST CONTINUES TO GROW WITHOUT A DOUBT.

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS ARE FULL OF PICTURES
OF LOVED ONES WE CHERISH VERY DEAR,
OUR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AUNTS AND UNCLES
ALL THOSE KINFOLKS THAT ARE NO LONGER HERE.

THERE'S ROOM ENOUGH FOR US ALL
ON THIS PARTICULAR BIG OLE FAMILY TREE,
I WANT TO CLING TO MY LITTLE TWIG
I LOVE BEING A PART OF THIS FAMILY YOU SEE.

Written.....July 31, 2008


.