General Chat

Top tip - using the Genes Reunited community

Welcome to the Genes Reunited community boards!

  • The Genes Reunited community is made up of millions of people with similar interests. Discover your family history and make life long friends along the way.
  • You will find a close knit but welcoming group of keen genealogists all prepared to offer advice and help to new members.
  • And it's not all serious business. The boards are often a place to relax and be entertained by all kinds of subjects.
  • The Genes community will go out of their way to help you, so don’t be shy about asking for help.

Boards

Quick Search

Single word search

Tools

Findmypast DNA Banner

Icons

  • New posts
  • No new posts
  • Thread closed
  • Stickied, new posts
  • Stickied, no new posts

Poem

Login to Add Reply Watch This
ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

ElizabethK

ElizabethK Report 23 Jun 2009 22:18


Does anyone have the poem about the researcher finding her ancetors grave ?

It has words like "you did not know I would exist or come to look for you" etc
It has appeared on the lists in the past and in magazines

I will check back in the morning in the hope that someone knows what I am talking about !!

~~~Secret Red ^^ Squirrel~~~ **007 1/2**

~~~Secret Red ^^ Squirrel~~~ **007 1/2** Report 23 Jun 2009 22:24

Googled and found this:

Your headstone stands among the rest, neglected and alone.

The name and date, are chiseled out, in weather beaten stone.

It reaches out for all to see,it is too late to mourn.

You did not know I would exist, you died and I was born.

Yet each of us are part of you, in flesh, in blood, in bone,

And in my breast there beats a pulse entirely not my own.

Dear ancestor, the space you left those many years ago

Is filled today by all of us, who would have loved you so.

I wonder if you laughed and loved,I wonder if you knew

That someday I would find this place and come to visit you.

Anon.

ElizabethK

ElizabethK Report 24 Jun 2009 11:06

Thats the one !

I have saved it this time !

Thanks very much

~~~Secret Red ^^ Squirrel~~~ **007 1/2**

~~~Secret Red ^^ Squirrel~~~ **007 1/2** Report 24 Jun 2009 13:07

You're welcome. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Also just googled again using the first line and found this one which is slightly different:

DEAR ANCESTOR:

YOUR TOMBSTONE STANDS AMONG THE REST
NEGLECTED AND ALONE

THE NAME AND DATE HAVE WORN OFF

THE WEATHERED MARBLE STONE

IT REACHES OUT TO ALL WHO CARE.

IT'S NOW TOO LATE TO MOURN

YOU DID NOT KNOW THAT I'D EXIST

YOU DIED....AND I WAS BORN

YET EACH OF US ARE CELLS OF YOU

IN FLESH, IN BLOOD, IN BONE.

OUR HEARTS CONTRACT AND BEAT A PULSE

ENTIRELY NOT OUR OWN

DEAR ANCESTOR, THE PLACE YOU FILLED

SOME HUNDRED YEARS AGO

SPREADS OUT AMONG THE ONES YOU LEFT

WHO WOULD HAVE LOVED YOU SO

I WONDER HOW YOU LIVED AND LOVED.

I WONDER IF YOU KNEW

THAT SOMEDAY I WOULD FIND THIS PLACE

AND COME TO VISIT YOU



Author Anonymous

Deanna

Deanna Report 24 Jun 2009 14:08

Thanks for bringing this poem to my attention.
It is lovely and so poignant.
I printed it out and it printed the WHOLE B**** PAGE...... TWICE!! aarrggh

But I have sorted it and now have that lovely poem for my folder.
I have put it in the front page of all my certificates.
AND, thank you ANON for writing it.
Deanna X

Merlin38

Merlin38 Report 24 Jun 2009 15:10

What a wonderful piece of verse. Just wish I was one tenth as talented as the author.

Researching:
Barratt, Brownhill - Nottinghamshire Brittain - Massachusetts and NY State

KathleenBell

KathleenBell Report 24 Jun 2009 16:17

This poem has been doing the rounds on Genes for some years.

I printed it off very small (not much bigger than a credit card) and had them laminated and then attached them to flowers which I left at ancestors graves when I found new graves that I hadn't visited before.

Kath. x