The Idea of Ancestry
Taped to the wall of my cell are 47 pictures: 47 black
faces: my father, mother, grandmothers (1 dead), grand-
fathers (both dead), brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts,
cousins (1st and 2nd), nieces, and nephews.They stare
across the space at me sprawling on my bunk.I know
their dark eyes, they know mine.I know their style,
they know mine.I am all of them, they are all of me;
they are farmers, I am a thief, I am me, they are thee.
I have at one time or another been in love with my mother,
1 grandmother, 2 sisters, 2 aunts (1 went to the asylum),
and 5 cousins.I am now in love with a 7-yr-old niece
(she sends me letters in large block print, and
her picture is the only one that smiles at me).
I have the same name as 1 grandfather, 3 cousins, 3 nephews,
and 1 uncle. The uncle disappeared when he was 15, just took
off and caught a freight (they say).He's discussed each year
when the family has a reunion, he causes uneasiness in
the clan, he is an empty space.My father's mother, who is 93
and who keeps the Family Bible with everbody's birth dates
(and death dates) in it, always mentions him.There is no
place in her Bible for "whereabouts unknown."
poem by Etheridge Knight
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Related quotes
I haven’t learnt.
I have understood of aunts and uncles.
I have understood of my cousins,
Nephews and nieces, brothers and sisters,
And my father and mother and at last
My son and daughter. Yet I haven’t learnt.
I love my grandsons and granddaughters.
6.11.2006
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
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All of My Greatest Thanks!
Let my heart speaks to you now, my brothers
Sisters who raised me by the absence of mother
That weaned my childhood's ignorance of death
And of which love I had yet to learn since birth
My mind while it's still unsullied to its buoy
Fields of memories wherein my boyhood a coy
Pieces of right and wrong, like a puzzle to fit
One picture, at the end, you molded me right
Though I envy your children, siblings of my father
You shared all your wisdom as if I am one of yours
To grandpa who stilled me yet all my fears
And grandma who embraced me to be braver
Siblings of my mother you all fed my hunger
Though I know not I was a bee of your shelter
To grandma who taught me the value of sharing
And the diktat of how to wait with patience
Indeed, my heart leaves no one was part of me
Your love that nurtured my growth and pride
But the truth to which I confer my greatest thanks
My father, my eldest sister: the braces of my stand
My wife and my two sons: the sources of my faith
Inspirational friends, cousins, nieces and nephews
Uncles and Aunts, you are all my wings of joy
And to God, this heart has now spoken the truth
poem by Efren Petalver Carranza
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Guarded from sexual pleasure
My parents, uncles and aunts guarded me,
My brothers, sisters and cousins guarded me,
My husband and his members guarded me,
My colleagues and neigbours guarded me
And my children, nephews and nieces guarded me
Against my pleasure that men could give me.
23.12.2009.
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
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To be pitiably old
Besides parents and grand parents,
Aunts and uncles were counted on.
Besides father and mother,
Nephews and nieces were counted on.
Besides brothers and sisters,
Sons and daughters were counted on.
Then their children were contemplated on.
I count days, with no more to be counted on.
20.10.2010
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
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They stuck by the children.
His mother and his father's mother
Had not been in talking term for life.
Yet they had no enmity between them.
His mother let her love them, six children,
Which should have softened his grandmother.
Her care for them must have pleased his mother.
They never sat near nor scolded each other.
Yet they could not be in enmity
For both wanted the welfare of the children.
It was she who nursed her in her death bed.
Her own sisters, nephews and nieces fled
As the birds did when the tree turned fruitless.
She felt her guilt and confessed it to her
Who, as blessed, had had a good death later.
13.11.2012
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
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I Like My Mother
There's candy
Icecream
Chocalate
Good dreams
And I like my Mother!
Mothers are sweet
Mothers are nice
They help you
Give you good advice
And they make you cookies!
I like my Mother!
I like my Mother!
I like my Mother!
I Like my Mother!
I really
Like
My Mother!
Theres Uncles
Cousins
Sisters
Brothers
Fathe rs
And I like my Mother!
And I pray God
You'll let my Mother live a thousand years
So I don't have to get a job or do anything
And I can just live with my mother!
I like my Mother!
I like my Mother!
I like my Mother!
I like my Mother!
I really
Like
My Mother!
poem by Art Paul Schlosser
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Kissin' Cousins
(words & music by giant - baum - kaye)
Cousins, kissin' cousins
Kissin's allowed 'cos we're proud to be cousins
What's a little teasin', huggin' and a-squeezin'
Between us cousins.
Oh it's so great to be one big family
And we show it, yes we show it
You see, we never feud, we're a happy brood
Folks all know it, yes they know it
Cousins, kissin' cousins
Honey we dress and we mess
We're just cousins,
Cousins, kissin' cousins
Cousins, kissin' cousins
song performed by by Elvis Presley
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Little Big Man
I am small because I am a little child. I shall be big when I am
as old as my father is.
My teacher will come and say, "It is late, bring your slate
and your books."
I shall tell him, " Do you not know I am as big as father? And
I must not have lessons any more."
My master will wonder and say, "He can leave his books if he
likes, for he is grown up."
I shall dress myself and walk to the fair where the crowd is
thick.
My uncle will come rushing up to me and say, "You will get
lost, my boy; let me carry you."
I shall answer, "Can't you see, uncle, I am as big as father?
I must go to the fair alone."
Uncle will say, "Yes, he can go wherever he likes, for he is
grown up."
Mother will come from her bath when I am giving money to my
nurse, for I shall know how to open the box with my key.
Mother will say, "What are you about, naughty child?"
I shall tell her, "Mother, don't you know, I am as big as
father, and I must give silver to my nurse."
Mother will say to herself, "He can give money to whom he
likes, for he is grown up."
In the holiday time in October father will come home and,
thinking that I am still a baby, will bring for me from the town
little shoes and small silken frocks.
I shall say, "Father, give them to my data, for I am as big
as you are."
Father will think and say, "He can buy his own clothes if he
likes, for he is grown up."
poem by Rabindranath Tagore
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Do I Love to Eat?
Do I love to eat?
Well,
I will put it more like this...
My grandmother Clara,
And my grandfather Charles...
Blessed all of their children.
And each one is no stranger to the kitchen.
On rare and special occasions...
A few of us may be seen dining out.
And IF we owned a family restaurant,
Many of us would go broke...
Before paid customers tasted a thing.
Do I love to eat?
I love to cook!
And when my family has gatherings...
Looking good is not all we offer.
Being both biased and proud,
I am grateful to be related to these folks.
And I say that to be heard when speaking outloud.
Do I love to eat?
Just as much as I love the quality of my life.
I would like to think of my experience as a treat.
Than something to feel guilty about.
When my sisters bake,
And my aunts, uncles and cousins make...
Anything that melts with each taste,
I'm never forced to put into my mouth.
I try to silence the wonderment,
That eventually slips out.
Do I love to eat?
Well...
It is the resting between varieties,
I most dislike when teased!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Most of all the other beautiful things in life come by twos and threes, by dozens and hundreds. Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers and sisters, aunts and cousins, but only one mother in the whole world.
quote by Kate D. Wiggins
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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It's All Relative: : Humour
My mother’s brother’s sister’s name is Grace
She’s my aunt and likes to go from place to place
My mother’s sister’s brother’s name is Brad
He’s my uncle and he is my cousin’s Dad
My grandmother on my mother’s side
Is my maternal gran, she is my grandfather’s bride
She also is my father’s mother-in-law
And not surprisingly they often go to war
My cousin is the nephew of my mother
His father happens to be my mother’s brother
My aunty’s niece is in fact myself
If you're confused please don't look at me for help
(Sydney, Australia - 2005)
poem by Alessandra Liverani
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Love One Another
Everybody needs a little tenderness
Everybody needs a release
From the cell they lock themselves in
Loves the only peace
Everybody needs
Everybody Cries
Everybody Bleeds
Everybody Dies
Everybody Dreams
Everybody Wakes
Everybody makes mistakes
Love one another
Sisters and brothers
Love one another
Love one another
Father and mother
Love one another
Its easier to walk away when youve
Got a wounded pride
When two people stand together
Thats how they heal inside
Try to understand
Open up your heart
A fist is just a hand
It can come apart
Let go of the past, let go of the fight
Forgiving fills the world with light
Love one another
Sisters and brothers
Love one another
Love one another
Father and mother
Love one another
We were given a world so beautiful
A deep ocean, a blue-blue sky
I know we can make it a better place
If only you and I
Love one another
Sisters and brothers
Love one another
Love one another
Father and mother
Love one another
song performed by by Cher
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Fragments
I am the monarch of the Sea,
The ruler of the Queen's Navee,--
When at anchor here I ride,
My bosom swells with pride,
And I snap my fingers at a foeman's taunts.
And so do his sisters, and his cousins, and his aunts
His sisters and his cousins!
Whom he reckons by the dozens,
And his aunts!
'I am the lowliest tar
That sails the water.
And you, proud maiden, are
My captain's daughter.'
'Refrain, audacious tar.
Your suit from pressing;
Remember what you are,
And whom addressing.'
For I am called Little Buttercup,--dear Little Buttercup,
Though I never could tell why;
But still I'm called Buttercup,--poor Little Buttercup,
Sweet Little Buttercup I!
Fair moon, to thee I sing
Bright regent of the heavens;
Say, why is every thing
Either at sixes or at sevens!
He is an Englishman!
For he himself has said it,
And it's greatly to his credit
That he is an Englishman.
poem by Louisa May Alcott
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Love (feat. Musiq & K-Fox)
[ad-libs by Musiq & K. Fox]
[Ghostface Killah]
First I loved God, then loved my mother
Love my babies, sisters and brothers
Love my father cos that's my mom's partner
Love my grandmother and my grouchy assed grandfather
Love my aunties on both sides of the family
Uncles, cousins, nieces and nepthews
Mess with my peoples you get stepped to
Love the mother of my children, them girls is special
Love feels good though we stuck in the hood
Love my last album, though the joint went wood
My mans and my enemies, I Love them too
Love God he let me see passed 32
Plus what he gave Wu
I chance to change music just listen, you and I know the truth
Love is essential, to some it's detrimental
Most of you would've use the next person as a rental
[Chorus: Musiq (K. Fox)]
Love, lift us up, (higher) take us higher (high)
Like every ghetto flower (oh Love yeah)
Cos Love, only Love has the heat and the power
And we can never give it up
Love, Love, Love
[Ghostface Killah]
Love life, the ground we walk on
My sickness, it made me strong
My loved ones in Heaven
The ones we lost, to heroin
Malcolm, Martin, and what they still for, the men had it poppin'
Love the sun when rain drops in, cosy night with mom punk in
Love the hell and my struggle
You gotta go through Hell to come out right, Love conquers pain and the puzzle
Funny on how Love could end so subtle
Was it just sex and not really Love for the couple?
Love people, Love the fact when there's a baby bein' born
Like "push girl, come on"
I'm not just sayin' that cos BET's on
We is one, one Love, each one, teach one
[Chorus to fade]
song performed by by Ghostface Killah
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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An Old Man With His Hat
There Little Robbie found him in an old yellow album
A blurred picture of a half old man with his hat
Standing in front of the coffin
He smiles shy but wide with his teeth gone making a hole like Little Robbie when he lose his baby teeth
Little Robbie doesn’t recognize him and he wonder where he is now
Maybe he is one of his grandfathers, one of his great uncles, one of his old families
So he asks to his big sister
But his sister doesn’t recognize him and she wonder who he is
Maybe he is one of his grandfathers, one of his great uncles, one of his old families
So he asks to his mother
But his mother doesn’t recognize him and she wonder how he was there
Maybe he is one of his grandfathers, one of his great uncles, one of his old families
So he asks to his father
But his father doesn’t recognize him and he wonder what he did there
Maybe he is one of his grandfathers, one of his great uncles, one of his old families
So he asks to his uncle
But his uncle doesn’t recognize him and he wonder when the picture taken
Maybe he is one of his grandfathers, one of his great uncles, one of his old families
So he asks hopelessly to his grandfather
His grandfather takes a deep look to that picture and wonders why Little Robbie asks
Little Robbie says, “I want to meet him! I want to know about him! I want to play with him! ”
Maybe he is one of his grandfathers, one of his great uncles, one of his old families
But his grandfather shakes his head, “No, he is not.”
He is not one of his grandfathers, one of his great uncles, one of his old families
He is just an old man with his hat
“He accompanied your great grandfather when he sick until his death. This picture is taken in a burial of your great grandfather.”
His grandfather stares at little Robbie
“Now, are you disappointed? ”
He is not one of his grandfathers, one of his great uncles, one of his old families
He is just an old man with his hat
Little Robbie shakes his head, “No, I am not.”
Though he is not one of his grandfathers, one of his great uncles, one of his old families
Though he is just an old man with his hat
“But I still want to meet him, I want to know about him, and I want to play with him! ”
And then he could be one of his grandfathers, one of his great uncles, one of his old families
poem by Maria Sudibyo
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My parents didn't really understand too much about sport. At that time, we were in a Polish community in the inner city of Chicago, and I was the youngest of a bunch of cousins. Polish families are real big, with cousins and aunts and uncles.
quote by Mike Krzyzewski
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Family Photos
I love my family photos
Such a simple treasure to me
So many wonderful people
That are part of my history
I look upon their faces
My uncles, cousins and aunts
I see myself in some of them
The eyes... the smile... the stance
Decked out in Sunday fashion
They gathered for a quick snapshot
Some clothes were made at home
And some of them they bought
And look at how far back they go
To the horse and buggy days
Perhaps we were not born yet
Or were small with the past a haze
Oh, look at Grandpa’s trophies
He looks so very proud
He knew he was quite a hunter
Though he wouldn’t say out loud
Let's not forget the animals
That helped to work the farm
They too were part of our family
And had their special charm
Just look at the family autos
They had such class and style
Yes, I love my family photos
Come and look at them awhile!
poem by Marilyn Lott
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Family Reunions
I read Bastiat at family reunions,
And I savour the irony.
Uncles and cousins fly across the Atlantic
And aunts and brothers drive from Cork
To talk about recipes and Roy Keane.
I merely go upstairs, close my door,
And study my God-given rights.
poem by Patrick Iliff
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My, My, My Crazy Family
My mom and dad, russ, and chris.
My step mom and dads, eidy, richard, marty.
My brothers, micheal, bear and joe.
My sisters, big tiff, little tiff, black head lory, red head lory, kim, betty.
My by marriage brothers, duck, and rick.
My by marriage sisters, amanda, stacey, and tammy.
My gram mothers, mama, and nana,
My grandfathers, Pap(Had 4 brothers all 5 of them fought in world war2) , Papa(also fought in world war2) .
My uncles and aunts, uncle david, aunt cathy, aunt carol, aunt edna, ect.
My family is just so huge I can't list them all
Imagine the dating situation.
The pickings get pretty slim.
Especially when my blood line goes to place I don't even know.
But eh I guess that how every family goes.
poem by Ace Of Black Hearts
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My Uncle Gay
I can not say in a way,
That would for anyone be understood.
But I have an uncle named Gayhall,
Who stands for me very tall.
A minister he is,
With a wife Pamela and two adorable kids.
Well...
They are no longer 'kids'.
Two beautiful women I 'should' say.
Nicole and Tiffany...
Each with a uniqueness,
Anyone can see.
Although my Uncle Gay,
Has been sick of late.
I hate the fact that he's like that.
But what can I do,
Besides pray from my Uncle Gay?
I 'see' him getting better,
Each day as I 'visualize'.
I want his health to return to him.
Because he is very special,
In my eyes.
I love my aunts and uncles...
As 'if' they were mine!
And...
Hey,
They are 'mine'!
Well...
Let me define what it is I want God to do!
'God,
I know for a fact...
You are with me all the time!
But...
Will You heal my Uncle Gay?
Right 'now'!
And...
Today! '
Dedicated to:
My Uncle Reverand Gayhall Pertillar.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
'Love you, Uncle Gay...
Pam and 'kids'.'
Nephew Larry
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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