This week I have decided to share a couple more of my poems written a few years ago but still on subject.

How To Dig Up Your Ancestors
I wanted to find my ancestors so I grabbed a shovel and spade,
Headed down to the cemetery where I thought that they were laid,
I found the place of my rellies so I put the shovel in!
When a voice from above called loud and clear:
“Dig them up and I’ll call the law in”
It sounded like God! so I stopped in my tracks
And replied in a voice meek and mild
“I’m digging up my ancestors, I didn’t think you’d mind”
“Not mind, not mind, of course I do”, the voice boomed out at me,
Then I looked up and saw the voice! …at the cemetery!
He didn’t look like I thought God would
With gardeners overalls on!
And a dirty great big mower
That he could ride upon.

I sort of giggled at myself, he wasn’t God at all,
The name sewn on his overalls said that he was Andrew Small,
Small by heck he wasn’t! and as I laughed some more,
He thought that I was choking, and offered CPR.
So I told him of my mission, that I would do alone,
He said  I would do better on the internet at home.

So I gathered my composure, my shovel and my spade,
And vowed that I would follow the good advice he gave,
He said now while you’re on the net, type in family tree search dot com,
For Digging up your ancestors there are helpers there upon!
So I joined a site and now I dig for my ancestors on line,
With helpers everywhere about it’s amazing what I find,
This sort of digging is more fun than digging with a shovel,
As rellies pop up all around, and what’s more it is legal!
So if I help you and you help me and we chat, and share advice
About our strange addiction and the hours we spend on line,
For no one understands us quite like we need them to,
For were Digging up our Ancestors, and we go to bed at two.
So thanks to all those helpers, for helping on the sites,
We will help dig up your ancestors
           Now did I type that right?
                            Ah but I see you’ve found it!
                                         And will agree I’m right!
                                                   I think it fills a hole in !
                                                                    Yes, pun intended !!
                                                                                                 Good night.

Bleggy   August 5th 2005

Some time later I revised this to protest what was being called Cemetery renewal

Renewal or DESECRATION!

I wanted to find my Grandparents so I grabbed a camera and map

Headed down to the cemetery I was sure of the spot they were at

I found the place they were buried and steadied my camera to go

But lo and behold the head stones were gone in their place was a marker to Joe!

 

So I raced to the cemetery office and asked what had happened to them

I was told it is progress and cemetery renewal they were using the spaces between!

Renewal what rot!!! I cried loudly! What have you done to my kin?

The headstones had broken and were taken away and Joe was interned in-between.

 

In-between my Grandma and Granddad I could not believe my ears!

Renewal! Renewal! more like desecration and after all these years

Together in life just on 60 years and in the grave side by side

But no longer so, between them was Joe! My sadness I could not hide

 

I sat on the ground and I cried and cried, I shed tears of anger and sadness

I wondered if Joe?s relatives knew that he shared with my grandparents!

These old pioneers raised a family large, and the headstone recorded their passing,

I was told they?re still there, underneath Joe, but no one would know without asking!

 

The board took the right to decide of the dead, the important, for consideration!

Are my relative less than those beside, who paid a fee for the duration.

I will bring my grandchildren to visit this place and explain this horrid thing to them

why they can?t see the headstones  or  respect for the dead, !

                          renewal or DESECRATION!!!!

Bleggy   18 November 2005