There is a limb, a branch of a tree
The limb that I speak of is humbly me
This limb is a branch that grows from a tree
A tree strong and ancient, wisdom of family
The roots of this tree started centuries ago
With a people I know not, but still my roots grow
Embeded in them, my ancestry
My kinfolk, who were they, their reflection is me
My parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents paved
A way to my talents, characteristics, DNA
Heredity is given in genes of history
A road paved with hardship, storytelling and mystery
My limb is attached to the branch of my parents
My Mother and Father taught me their talents
My Father his poetry, song and dance
His showmanship, love of books, and the ability perchance
To dream big, no regrets, no guts or no glory
Passionate good or bad, always the real story
From humble beginnings he worked his way up
To educate himself, his kids, he supported us
My Mother so humble the salt of the earth
This metaphor from Jesus her salt it did birth
A faith unshakable there’s no doubting commitment
Don’t debate, keep the faith, God’s love is sufficient
Our family she stayed, raised and praised
Always present, working hard, pretending nothing to it
Never a complaint, a curse never uttered
A better role model, sorry there is no other
Their branch is attached to the trunk of the tree
Their parents, grand parents exclaimed a decree
Work hard every day, laugh and love our own way
They traveled the pond to create a new day
A new world they came too with courage in hand
No money, or people a new foreign land
The times they did struggle but kept to their plan
And made a success, never waived took command
Laughter and hardship and death they did face
So courage and bravery adventure and faith
The trunk of this tree has deep strong roots
We are rooted in God, He is the Truth
He is the Vine we are the branches
A lesson I’ve learned or I couldn’t be planted
All that before has trickled down to my limb
I cling on to stay strong to keep fixed on Him
This tree is still growing because it has twigs
My boys, they live on, they are light their my kids
To watch them and nurture the souls that they are
To witness our history in them they’ll go far
To continue to grow and one day they’ll know
I will tell them the stories of our ancestry so
One day I will see in them part of me
My prayer is they know love and laughter, our tree
