"OUR FAMILY TREE' BY J.E. "JIM" CADE
I THINK THAT I SHALL NEVER SEE ANYTHING SO DIFFICULT AS OUR FAMILY TREE
A TREE THAT ROOTED WITH OUR DAD, A WOMAN NAMED MARY PLUS TWO CHILDREN THEY HAD
JOINING THE ROOTS OF THIS STRANGE TREE, CAME A MOTHER OF TWO THEY CALLED MARIE
NINE OFFSPRINGS WERE ADDED BY THIS PAIR, TO ADD TO THE FOUR ALREADY THERE
A SECOND TRAGIC LOSS OF A MOTHER FROM THIS SCENE, TWAS ADDED TWO BOYS AND A MOTHER NAMED PAULINE
I HOPE BY NOW YOU CAN SEE MY PLIGHT, A TREE WITH THREE TRUNKS WILL LOOK A FRIGHT
SO WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE TRUNKS AND ROOTS, ALSO YHE BRANCHES THE LEAVES AND SHOOTS
FIRST CAME ALFRD A HARD WORKING MAN, WHO WE ALL KNOW AS THE HEAD OF OUR CLAN
HIS FIRST WIFE MARY A WOMAN OF MIRTH , WE BEMOAN HER LOSS DURING CHILD BIRTH
BERNIECE THE FIRST, FULL OF SADNESS AND JOYS ADDED TO OUR FAMILY, FOUR GIRLS PLUS FIVE BOYS.
JACK OUR ATHLETE, AT HOME ON GRIDIRON OR COURT, TOOK WIFE LEAONA AND FOUR CHILDREN TO SUPPORT
"DADS" SECOND WIFE, MY MOTHR, NAMED MARIE, I WOULD DESCRIBE AS PEACE, LOVE, AND HARMONY
BRINGING WITH HER A SON NAMED HAROLD WHO BROUGHT A WIFE AND ONE DAUGHTER INTO THE FOLD.
A DAUGHTER NAMED ELSIE CAME INTO THE VIEW, HER CHILDREN BROUGHT THE TOTAL OF TWO.
BOB THE SALESMAN AND FIRST OF THE MIDDLE CLAN, WITH WIFE DONNA ADDED TWO MORE TO THE PLAN.
JANE TOOK BILL FOR HER EVERLOVING SPOUSE, BY ADDING TWO BOYS THEY FILLED THEIR HOUSE.
FINALLY AT LAST WE GET DOWN TO ME, WIFE FAYE, AND TWO KIDS MAKE MY FAMILY
KENNY AND GRACE BUILT A COUNTRY HOME, FOR THEIR TWO CHILDREN TO ROMP AND ROAM
BYRON AND BEVERLY MAKE THEIR HOME IN THE CITY, THEIR CONTRIBUTION IS TWO BOYS TO THIS DITY.
DOROTHY AND DICK HAVE ADDED SOME MORE, WATSON IS THE NAME AND THREE TO THE SCORE
DAVID AND CAROL - OR KAY- IF YOU PLEASE, BRANCHED OUT THREE DAUGHTERS AMONG THE LEAVES.
BARBARA OR "BARBER" AS "DAD" WOULD SAY, BROUGHT RAYMOND AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN OUR WAY
WE PAUSE IN MEMORY OF MERIDITH V. AND LAMENT HIS LOSS IN A TRAGEDY
ENTER PAULINE WHO WAS FACED WITH A TASK, TO PROVIDE THE LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING WE ASK.
NO ONE WILL DENY HER ROLE WAS GREAT, IN SHAPING OUR TREE AS "DADS" NEW MATE.
HER FIRST BORN WAS A SON SHE NAMED JACK, WITH WIFE PHYLLIS ADDED TOW TO OUR PACK
WITH JAY HER SECOND AND YOUNGEST SON, ADD WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN AND MY POEMS NEAR DONE.
DEAR PEOPLE I HOPE YOU HAVE KEPT AND ACCOUNT. FOR THE NUMBER IS NOW A STAGGERING AMOUNT
TO OUT FAMILY TIES LET NONE PUT ASUNDER, BUT STOPPIN TO THINK YOU JUST MAY WONDER
WHY THIS WIERD TREE IS FULL OF CUTS, OR WHY THERE IS LESS LUMBER THAN NUTS
ITS BECAUSE THIS POEM WAS CONCOCTED BY ME, AND WE KNOW ONLY GOD COULD HAVE MADE THIS TREE.
