Dutch, Irish And Blue Bellied Yankee Poem by Michael J Williams

My first encounter with my genealogy
I could scarce conceive the things my family endured
Questions to my father were abundant
Alas, he had few answers
"All I know is we are Dutch, Irish and Blue Bellied Yankee" said Dad
Tedious trips to research centers consumed precious time and patience
Visits to libraries, trying to decipher unknown coding systems
Very few sessions contained pertinent, verifiable evidence
When facts became apparent, the joy of discovery overwhelmed me!
I was connecting in ways as foreign and unknown as my "new" ancestors
There was a correlation, to history that was described in official ledgers, and me!
Pride overcame me, for deeds and courage that belonged to my genetic predecessors
My task was set before me:
Record and keep alive a chronical from whence our line descended
Some of us, from the family, will not be as brave or as good as the best of us
But the best of us can give hope to the rest of us,
because we too have the same blood in us,
to prevail with abundant success and honor
If we give forth a familial effort