Poetry A Day Challenge 28: Looking Back

Happy Tuesday Houston, The Mad Houstonian, here.

Welcome to Day 28 of the Poetry A Day Challenge by Robert Lee Brewer, of the wonderful Poetic Asides Blog, at Writer's Digest.

As he explains in his post...

For today’s prompt:

The final “Two-for-Tuesday” day today.

1. Write a look back poem and/or…
2. Write a don’t look back poem. Because some folks just want to keep their eyes on the road ahead.

Remember: These prompts are just springboards; you have the freedom to jump in any direction you want. In other words, it’s more important to write a new poem than to stick to the prompt."

(My Day 1 poem is here)

So...what did I do?

Genealogy is a hobby about looking back...looking back into the past of our maternal, and paternal, ancestry as far as we are able, and as deeply as records and stories allow.

Our ancestors are a mixed lot, and what we learn can be boring as all hell, really embarrassing, totally disgraceful, absolutely fascinating and interesting, and more.

I have written 2 poems that one can consider to be "Looking Back", though someone, reading them, might ask..."Are you sure you WANT to look back?

Both poems were written as part of 2 essays I wrote in the Summer of 2008.

 

With sincerely apologies to Princeton University, the Sandhills Sixteen, and anyone else who has recorded a version of the old American folk song called "I've been workin' on the railroad". 

I've Been Workin' on My Genealogy by Kiril Kundurazieff 

I've been workin' on my Genealogy,
All the live long day.
I've been workin' on my Genealogy,
Tracing my ancestors back a long, long, way.
Don't you hear the whispers from the past?
Look for your bloodlines in the morning.
Don't you hear your forefathers shouting
"Sonny, won't you look us up?"

Sonny, won't you look us up,
Sonny, won't you look us up,
Sonny, won't you look us up in the records?
Sonny, won't you look us up,
Sonny, won't you look us up,
Sonny, won't you look us up in the records?

Someone in the census is related to Sonny.
Someone's in the census he knows.
Someone in the census is related to Sonny.
Just waiting for him to find them, I know.

Fee, fie, fiddle-e-i-o.
Fee, fie, fiddle-e-i-o-o-o-o.
Fee, fie, fiddle-e-i-o.
Just waiting for him to find them, I know.

 

 

Give Genealogy a Chance by Kiril Kundurazieff

(With sincere apologies to John Lennon.) 

Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents
This family, that family, family, family, family,
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance

(C'mon)
Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Ministers, Shysters, Baristers and Hucksters,
Bishops, Priests, Rabbis, and Imams, Oh my, Should I claim these guys?
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance

(Let me tell you now)
Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Revolution, Medical Solution, Dissertation, Fulmination, Plantation,
Immigration, many nations, assimilation, congratulations
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance

Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout
Jack and  Jill, THE O'Leary, Rosemary,
Tommy's brothers, the family villian, and one who invented the pooper scooper,
English Tailor, Norman Invader, Alan the Pious, Mad Macedonian
Mad Mad Macedonian
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance
All we are saying is give Genealogy a chance

 

Next Up -- Poetry A Day Challenge 29: A New Poem...Totally

Comments

[Ellen Pilch]

Well done.