Tags
family history, Grace (aka Heaven), I don't know any Swedish relatives, O Canada, poetry prompt, Someday I plan to visit Sweden
This coming June 24, my family is celebrating our 9th year in Canada. When I look back at our journey, I marvel at how things would have been different if we have stayed & retired in my native land, Philippines. The destiny of my 3 children is forever changed by our decision to uproot and migrate to another country.
However in going over my family roots, I find that I am not the first one to journey and live in another part of the world. My great-grandfather is an American who came to the Philippines during Spanish-American war and married (and later on divorced) a Filipina. As he spoke 8 languages fluently (including Spanish, Chinese, Japanese), he served as an interpreter for US President, Teddy Roosevelt & US Army. Tracing his roots, I learned that my father’s ancestor originally came from Sweden and traveled to America in 1648 in the ship called The Swan to trade with the natives. As he had a gift for languages, he learned their language and bought lands from them. He was well respected by the Indians that he was considered “blood brother” and called Frande (meaning kinsman in Swedish).
I am sure that you have family stories handed down through generations about your ancestors. So our prompt for today is to share our family history or roots in poetry or prose poetry form. This doesn’t have to be a complete narrative as that can be long. Instead choose a story or two that you would like to share, focusing on a family member(s). What was life like then and how does it affect you now? Is there a family member that you would like to meet and ask questions? Feel free to share a family photo(s). I hope we can get to know more about each other through our stories.
For your appreciation, I have linked two poems about family history. Kindly click on the title to read the entire poem.
I came into this world in an Allahabad hospital,
Close to a smelly cow pasture.
I was brought to a barracks, with white walls
And corrugated tin roof,
Beside a civil aviation training center.
In World War II officers were docketed there.
I heard the twang of propellers,
Jets pumping hot whorls of air,
Heaven bent,
Blessing my first home.
…..
My family wouldn’t buy Emporium bowls
thick like heads of cabbage or soup spoons
holding hand-painted water lilies;
our plates, chipped and resounding,
clatter at every feast. In America,
we acquired what was necessary:
some English to earn a living, cotton
for dull work, enough noodles for a long life.
…..
If you are new, here is how this works:
- Write a poem based on the prompt and put it on your webpage or blog.
- Click the Mr. Linky button below and enter your name and direct web address (URL) to your poem.
- There you will find the list of others playing along. Read & tell them what you thought of their poem.
- If you use social media to promote your works, include the tag #dversepoets or @dversepoets so we can find and promote you as well
Happy Tuesday everyone ~ Grace
Grace said:
Hi everyone ~ Welcome to the pub ~ I am still in the office but looking forward to reading your family history ~
brian miller said:
hope the day ends well for you grace…
Grace said:
I am having a lovely time reading all your stories, so my day is going to end very well thank you Brian ~
freyathewriter said:
What a stunning family background, Grace. And congratulations on your 9 years! Thank you for this prompt – and for hosting 🙂
Grace said:
Thank you for being here Freya ~ I look forward to reading your story ~
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Hello Grace, I loved your story of your ancestor… if he came with Svanen (the swan) in 1648 it was during the brief period when Sweden had a colony in North America… Intriguing that he made friend with the Natives too.. sounds almost like something out of Fenimore Cooper.. and also that he stayed… very intriguing story…
Grace said:
Thanks for the additional info Bjorn ~ I understand he had 10 children so there’s some relatives out there I haven’t really met ~
shanyns said:
I LOVE that these pieces come together like that – Bjorn and Grace 🙂
brian miller said:
fun stuff…i have written over the years about my ancestors quite a bit so i tried to blend it a bit and give a few hints here or there…smiles…so cool onhis story…being and interpretor for the president…intriguing….your family def has an interesting story…
brian miller said:
ha. i just saw the word play in the title as well…smiles…
Grace said:
Taking a cue from you his/her/story, smiles ~ I am lucky that I can trace my history that far back ~
claudia said:
that is a cool family background you have grace
unfortunately i don’t know much about my family… my father fled from east germany when they built the wall and he never told us anything about his fam or past
my mom’s fam has a farmer background but there as well – beyond her brother and fam i don’t know anything that goes further back. her brother died in WWII when they played with tanks that were left standing around.. it was so tough and she never really was able to talk much about him
Grace said:
How sad Claudia ~ Your piece is indeed heart breaking ~
Have you ever thought of exploring your roots anyway (searching for the same name, etc) ~ Our family (both sides) have like a family tree on the web and any family member can update it ~
claudia said:
that is cool to have the family tree on the web… makes things so much more transparent and easier
dunno if i really wouldn’t want to know more about mine – flat roots have their advantages as well…smiles
brian miller said:
ha. they do indeed…as i was telling glenn, t was adopted so we really dont know anything on that side of the family….
claudia said:
sometimes it maybe is just better to let the past slumber…
Mary said:
Interesting, Claudia, that you don’t know anything beyond your mother and father’s generation…and even that you don’t know much about. I know very little more. Three of four grandparents came over from Northern Germany; and the other (German background though) was born on this soil. At least that is as I remember it. I wish I could trace back further.
brian miller said:
i dunno…i allude to it in my poem, but my grandmother (fathers side) traced their history back to william the conqueror…so my mom was wanting to see who hers would trace back to…and so my dad had it done…the only royalty in the line was King FatAss…ha…def did not go as he or she expected….smiles….
claudia said:
so king fatass was a rapper? ha – that would explain the one or other thing… smiles
brian miller said:
not sure i would want the name as a rapper…
i bet he ate a lot though…lol
shanyns said:
😦 It is sad when they just want to leave it all behind. Or they change it to make it more comfortable. Some of my family has lots of information, others arrived in North America and changed their name and religion and stopped talking about what they left behind.
Most intriguing are the family members that are not spoken of (Creole or native) – but are so very THERE in some old photos.
Thanks for sharing Claudia.
Mary said:
What a wonderful story you shared here in Poetics today. How exciting that your great-grandfather was an interpreter for Teddy Roosevelt. I envy you being able to trace your family history as far back as 1648. All I have managed to do is trace to the late 1800’s. An interesting prompt, Grace. Thank you.
Grace said:
Thanks Mary ~ But I have to thank those that came before me for figuring out the family tree ~
Am excited to go home in a few minutes and read the stories ~
claudia said:
i think being able to trace fam history back to 1800 is quite awesome as well mary
Mary said:
Hamish, I haven’t a clue how to comment on your blog. I gave it a try…but could not figure it out! If you visit here, please clue me in.
claudia said:
you have to solve a riddle first – smiles – which makes it all the more exciting – ha
you can post as guest – just enter your name and then solve the math equation – after that a comment box will appear…
brian miller said:
it is at the very bottom of the page…
luckily i had to add zero….so i could figure it out…smiles…
claudia said:
i had to solve 5 plus 3 ….and used my calculator…
smiles
Mary said:
LOL, I guess my problem was I didn’t find my calculator. Smiles.
Mary said:
OK,I figured it out. You have to SOLVE the ‘captcha,’ not copy it. Whew.
Gabriella said:
Hello Grace, thank you for your great prompt. I am amazed at your family background and the linguist in me loves to read that they were so good with languages.
claudia said:
it is cool if someone can speak so many languages – i have a colleague in the office who speaks at least 5 languages fluently and 2 so that he can have a really good conversation… and that next to being a talented scientist… sigh… it’s good not to compare…
Grace said:
I am envious too ~ Now I am telling my daughter to be more fluent in French (our second language here) and to learn new languages like Spanish ~
claudia said:
alright – bedtime for me over here – will catch up tomorrow morning
i may just sit in the dark and listen to the rain and thunderstorm a bit before i fall asleep…it’s a magical evening…smiles
Grace said:
Sleep well Claudia ~
brian miller said:
ah falling asleep to the rain…is lovely….
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Bedtime here as well.. realized I had written at least one similar poem before.. I think i need to bring up the dark side of the family next time.. like my great grandfather dying of syphilis… hmm usually a history never written down..
Grace said:
I think all families, including my side, have some dark sides, even secrets ~ It will be cool if you can share that Bjorn ~
See you tomorrow ~
Sherry Blue Sky said:
I love this prompt, Grace. I will be back!!
Grace said:
Looking forward to yours Sherry ~
brian miller said:
cool…look forward to that sherry….
Joseph Hesch said:
Thank you for the push to write something of my family’s history, Grace. I’ve meant to put my great great grandfather’ story from the American War Between the States on paper before, and now I kinda have. A sketch, not a poem per se, nor anything more than a scene.
Grace said:
I love your story Joe ~ Thanks for sharing it with us ~
shanyns said:
This is a very cool challenge. I don’t quite know how to approach it with my crazy family tree…but I’m looking forward to trying!
brian miller said:
ha. the poem i ended with was draft #….well i lost count…it took me a while to get it written as well shanyn….
Grace said:
Well we can run this again as a prompt and you can share another story, maybe a different side of your family ~
I know what you mean about so many stories ~ Just choose one for now ~
shanyns said:
Grace, I got one written, and had the link there but as I dashed out the door to take supper to the fellas doing spraying (weeds and bugs) I didn’t hit the “Okay” to post t. 😦
Not sure what I am enjoying more, the trip back into my family history or reading about all of yours. This is really really interesting and cool too!
Kathy (akakkkkaty) said:
There are some interesting other ancestors I could write about, the Irish side, but it gets complicated; so I stuck with who I know a lot about, not too far back as well…a great prompt, Grace..I look forward to catching up this evening. I found your history beautiful and proud and moving.
brian miller said:
there are def some in my family i dont know enough about to write…i had considered calling my mom/dad to get the low down but went with what i know as well…
Abhra said:
Such an interesting history – history has always been an area of interest for me and I there are so many untold chapters in family stories. Looking forward to participate Grace.
Grace said:
Looking forward to yours Abhra ~ Just pick one story for now, smiles ~
ayala said:
A rich and wonderful roots. Thank you for sharing!
Grace said:
Good to see you here Ayala ~
brian miller said:
just coming in from a bike ride/walk with the fam…saw so many bunny rabbits out tonight….
Grace said:
How wonderful Brian ~ So far I have seen only 1 here, most are squirrels trying to get into the gardens ~
brian miller said:
we get them in the back yard every night…along with the deer…must be birthing time though…we saw a bunch little more than the size of a softball…
Grace said:
Must be that time of year, smiles ~
I am turning in for the night and will check back in the morning before work ~
Thanks to those who have shared their family stories ~ I enjoyed getting to know more of you ~
Ginny Brannan said:
I am second generation American of Polish and Italian descent. Am sharing a piece written a little bit earlier this year about my maternal grandfather who immigrated from Sicily in the early 1900’s.
brian miller said:
whassup ginny always good to see you…smiles.
Sumana Roy said:
a very interesting prompt Grace…shared a few lines here
brian miller said:
in a few lines you evoked quite a bit….
Hannah Gosselin said:
Your hiSTORY is awe-inspiring, Grace…thank you for sharing and hosting this thoughtful challenge!
brian miller said:
cool piece tonight hannah…
like how you wrapped around it the act of your typing and releasing the story…
Hannah Gosselin said:
Thank you, Brian!! 🙂
Other Mary said:
Thanks Grace. I’m not sure if this is actually poetry, and I apologize for getting so long-winded, but it was good for me to write about this.
claudia said:
and it was a wonderful read mary… thanks for sharing…
Grace said:
I look forward to reading yours ~ I am taking my time actually as I enjoy this, smiles ~
claudia said:
caught up with the overnites and about to bike to work now… it’s a beautiful morning and it finally has cooled down a bit as well..
brian miller said:
hoping we get a break from the humidity…
it is a nice cool morning….
arathi said:
Grace, thank you for giving this prompt..when i started to read what everyone was writing..i couldn’t help but notice that even though each one comes from different backgrounds..in the core we all are same..we seek happiness through our past or from the future..the words came pouring down for me when I wrote mine..it’s not a personal per say but i feel we all are connected here..Love and Smiles..
Grace said:
Yes, there are familiar themes in our stories – the desire for change to a better life, courage and perseverance, and love in our family ~ I look forward to reading yours ~
brian miller said:
its amazing how when we share our stories the connections that we can make to each other…even when we are world apart….
grapeling said:
you’d spoken before, Grace, of wanting to write of your family. good to see you turn this into a challenge… ~
Grace said:
Hi M ~ Yes, finally I have it as a challenge ~ I suspect there are still more family stories out there ~
Good morning everyone ~ I will be out in a trail in a few minutes ~
brian miller said:
oh there are plenty of family stories to tell, that is for sure…
Jennifer G. Knoblock said:
Hello, all. My first link-up…looking forward to reading all these wonderful family stories!
brian miller said:
welcome…enjoy…have fun popping in on others…
rosross said:
Those who come from historically recent, largely immigrant nations like Australia, Canada, the US and New Zealand have much in common in terms of ancestors and their experiences.
Many of mine crossed oceans fleeing poverty, religious persecution or just in search of a better life for them and their children – from Scotland, England, Germany, Denmark and Greece they came in the early and middle 1800’s.
My paternal great-great-grandfather was a convict who after serving his seven years remained in Australia. One can only wonder if he ever wrote home. Many did and many did not. My paternal great-grandfather was a Greek sailor who jumped ship, married the convict’s daughter, adopted her illegitimate son and set himself up as a fishmonger in a South Australian country town. One wonders if he ever wrote home and trying to trace him is hardest of all given the paucity of records on Ithaca and my lack of Greek.
My maternal grandfather came later, in 1911 as part of a Scouts scheme for poor children in London – none of them ever looked back and all found new lives, hopes and good fortune for themselves and their descendants.
How strange it must have been though to come to the Great Southern Land, Terra Australis, so unlike anywhere else with its seasons and its nature and its wildlife!
How fortunate that they did and that they prospered as they expected. Looking back through excellent English, Scottish and German records it is clear that the leap into the unknown which took them to Australia was the best thing they ever did.
brian miller said:
jumped ship to marry the convicts daughter…ha…what a cool romantic/spontaneous moment that made your story possible….cool ros
lynndiane said:
Interesting, Roslyn…and great prompt,Grace! When I began blogging in 2012, three of my first poems were memories of my grandparents (i knew 3 sets of grandparents growing up and all were present at my wedding). My birth mother died when i was 16 mo. , Dad remarried…both of my mothers were from same home town. i linked poem of second mom’s parents but you may check out “I Remember Them, I & II” as well.
lynndiane said:
Couldn’t resist…had to share another poem about my grandparents on the other side 🙂 Hope to read more too…
Grace said:
Enjoyed them, you can link as many as you like 🙂
Susan said:
Ah, Grace, how beautifully you tell your stories. I hesitated many times while writing a piece of mine. I am slow, anyway, as you know. It will take me most of a week to make the rounds, but I will.
Grace said:
Thank you Susan ~ I hope you read some links as I really enjoyed the stories ~
Imelda said:
Thanks for the prompt, Grace. 🙂 I managed to link up with 4 minutes to go. 😀
brian miller said:
ha. just under the wire….smiles.
Kathy (akakkkkaty) said:
I meant to say before that it is amazing as you know how one decision to move, uproot, otherwise relocate can have a profound effect on our lives; everything turns on that dime and enables us to see the world from unique perspectives and change our lives forever in a good and wonderful way…whether it’s done spontaneously or thought out ahead of time, even when there is no choice in the matter…life doesn’t have to be staid in one place forever unless we want it to and/or we are content there.
brian miller said:
its turn…i lived a rather rambly life up and down the coast until we had kids…we have settled…not where i ultimately want to be but…that will be a decision for the future….
Grace said:
Linking up Shanyn’s post here:
purplepeninportland said:
This prompt brought back wonderful memories. Thanks!
Mine is up at: https://purplepeninportland.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/almost-caught/
Grace said:
Adding Karin’s link here too:
http://manicddaily.wordpress.com/2014/06/12/lore/