National Poetry Month 3: Genealogy Ditties Revisited

Just because you write a poem it does not mean that you have to leave it that way.

OR a collection of poems for that matter.

In honor of National Poetry Month here is a case in point:

A few years ago I wrote a collection of short Ditties.

I later joined a writing community for a while, and though I eventually left it one thing I know for sure is that feedback was plentiful, informative, and rewarding.

I shared a dozen of the above mentioned ditties (I forgot to include one more.), and then was concerned that I might have broken a rule for non-paying members about posting more than 1 poem, or story, per entry in my Portfolio.

A longtime member responded this way:

It appears as if Geneology is one poem with 12 parts or stanzas, so it should be fine.

Collections of poems or stories are not allowed in one item (for free members)
- but a chained haiku or a multi-part poem on the same theme is okay.  That is
what yours appears like to me, especially with the repeating last line.

It really seems like one poem in many parts.   

But if you feel as if this is truly 12 separate poems, and each stand alone
(and could be reviewed separately) - then, with a free membership, they would
need to be separated.  But I really feel as if they are one piece.

Well, I went back, and looked at it.

Upon looking at them as she saw them I saw what she meant after I played a little with the order of the Ditties.

Here is the new, 12 Stanza poem I call Genealogy! #1:

Hello, My name is McLemire
There is confusion of which I tire
I'm your Uncle and your Cousin
And I've got offspring by the dozen
Genealogy

On April 1st, 1960, Aunt Susie
Married Uncle Fred
She's still alive
But he's long dead
Genealogy

Billy-Bob and Bessie-Sue
Went to one from being two
Her Father, he did bring the gun
By half past noon the deed was done
Genealogy

Eenie, meenie, Miny, mo
From Germany my ancestors did go
Did they to England or, to France?
Figuring it out, I've no chance
Genealogy

My sister Polly went to her grave
At the tender age of five
Her cat, in a tree, she tried to save
And that, Granddaughter, ain't no jive
Genealogy

Colonel Billy freed his slaves
The neighbors thought he was nuts
His old property, however, gave him raves
Of that there are no ifs, ands, or buts
Genealogy

Roses are red
Stalin was too
Granddad was a Commie
Boo hoo hoo!
Genealogy

Roses are white
Sidewalks are too
Gr-Grandma Edna died in a gunfight
Explain that, Mother, please do
Genealogy

My ancestor Micah was a Tory
George Washington was not
End of story
Genealogy

Aunt Bessie lies under the ocean
Aunt Bessie lies under the sea
Aunt Bessie slipped on a bottle of lotion
While sailing with Uncle Lee
Genealogy

Good golly gee
Look who I spy
Hanging on my Family Tree
A Macedonian Guy
Genealogy

Books for Genealogists
Are for researchers great, of course
They have many answers for Rootsologists
So does the Internet, another source
Genealogy

I've now got a new perspective on how to possibly present future collections of Ditties that I did not have before.

Part 4 is here.

Just because you write a poem it does not mean that you have to leave it that way.

OR a collection of poems for that matter.

In honor of National Poetry Month here is a case in point:

A few years ago I wrote a collection of short Ditties.

I later joined a writing community for a while, and though I eventually left it one thing I know for sure is that feedback was plentiful, informative, and rewarding.

I shared a dozen of the above mentioned ditties (I forgot to include one more.), and then was concerned that I might have broken a rule for non-paying members about posting more than 1 poem, or story, per entry in my Portfolio.

A longtime member responded this way:

It appears as if Geneology is one poem with 12 parts or stanzas, so it should be fine.

Collections of poems or stories are not allowed in one item (for free members)
- but a chained haiku or a multi-part poem on the same theme is okay.  That is
what yours appears like to me, especially with the repeating last line.

It really seems like one poem in many parts.   

But if you feel as if this is truly 12 separate poems, and each stand alone
(and could be reviewed separately) - then, with a free membership, they would
need to be separated.  But I really feel as if they are one piece.

Well, I went back, and looked at it.

Upon looking at them as she saw them I saw what she meant after I played a little with the order of the Ditties.

Here is the new, 12 Stanza poem I call Genealogy! #1:

Hello, My name is McLemire
There is confusion of which I tire
I'm your Uncle and your Cousin
And I've got offspring by the dozen
Genealogy

On April 1st, 1960, Aunt Susie
Married Uncle Fred
She's still alive
But he's long dead
Genealogy

Billy-Bob and Bessie-Sue
Went to one from being two
Her Father, he did bring the gun
By half past noon the deed was done
Genealogy

Eenie, meenie, Miny, mo
From Germany my ancestors did go
Did they to England or, to France?
Figuring it out, I've no chance
Genealogy

My sister Polly went to her grave
At the tender age of five
Her cat, in a tree, she tried to save
And that, Granddaughter, ain't no jive
Genealogy

Colonel Billy freed his slaves
The neighbors thought he was nuts
His old property, however, gave him raves
Of that there are no ifs, ands, or buts
Genealogy

Roses are red
Stalin was too
Granddad was a Commie
Boo hoo hoo!
Genealogy

Roses are white
Sidewalks are too
Gr-Grandma Edna died in a gunfight
Explain that, Mother, please do
Genealogy

My ancestor Micah was a Tory
George Washington was not
End of story
Genealogy

Aunt Bessie lies under the ocean
Aunt Bessie lies under the sea
Aunt Bessie slipped on a bottle of lotion
While sailing with Uncle Lee
Genealogy

Good golly gee
Look who I spy
Hanging on my Family Tree
A Macedonian Guy
Genealogy

Books for Genealogists
Are for researchers great, of course
They have many answers for Rootsologists
So does the Internet, another source
Genealogy

I've now got a new perspective on how to possibly present future collections of Ditties that I did not have before.

Part 4 is here.