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Joyce Johnson

Member Rara Avis

since 2001-03-10

Posts 9912
Washington State

0 posted 2006-03-22 02:22 PM

Great-Great-Grandma

From deep recesses of my mind
I bring a great-great-grandma's face.
She left no photograph behind.
I dream her dressed in bits of lace,
Tatted perhaps by her own hand;
A talent she didn't leave to me.
She labored and loved and lived and left
No memories for her progeny.

I've traced her name, all I can do
To give her substance, make her real;
A living being who could cry,
Could laugh and all emotions feel.
There was a time I could have asked
Her granddaughter of what she knew.
That chance is now forever lost.
No one is left to give a clue.

Dear Grandma, I lend you my pen;
Please tell about the life you led.
Be free to speak your mind through me
And say the things you would have said.
A wealth of stories left untold
And lessons from which I could have learned.
Dear Mollie Blosser I'd then record
The place in history you have earned.

By: Joyce 3/22/06

skyshine

Member Elite

since 2002-02-07

Posts 3058
Beneath the northern stars

1 posted 2006-03-22 04:05 PM

I don't know much about my great-great-grandmother either (or even my great-grandma). Perhaps it is time for me to make a call to my parents and get some information about them.

Wise words, Joyce. We all need to know about our families.

~sky

I hope someday you get the chance to live like you were dying....
~Tim McGraw

Joyce Johnson

Member Rara Avis

since 2001-03-10

Posts 9912
Washington State

2 posted 2006-03-22 05:46 PM

Dear Skyshine, Yes, now is the time while you still have a source available. I am so sorry I did not ask more questions of my parents and my grandma. Love Joyce

Trillium

Member Patricius

since 2001-03-09

Posts 12098
Idaho, USA

3 posted 2006-03-22 06:39 PM

Dear Joyce: A lovely poem! It is sad when we no longer can learn about our ancestors. I was fortunate in that both grandmothers were very vocal about their mothers and their grandmothers, so I learned much about them. I find it fascinating and wish I had known them personally.

Love
Betty Lou

Betty Lou Hebert

Joyce Johnson

Member Rara Avis

since 2001-03-10

Posts 9912
Washington State

4 posted 2006-03-22 07:59 PM

Thanks Betty. You were so wise to ask questions. My parents would have told me anything I wanted to know but I was not into ancestry in those days. I only knew one grandma and did not think to ask about family history from her either. Too late smart. Love, Joyce

midnightblues
Senior Member

since 2000-07-01

Posts 1597
Singapore

5 posted 2006-03-23 10:23 AM

Hmm I've never heard any stories about my great-great-grandma but I've seen and heard about my great-grandma

Love this poem, it is so sweet!

Love,
MiCheLLe

If there cannot be equal in affection, then let the one with more be me - midnightblues

latearrival
Member Ascendant

since 2003-03-21

Posts 5499
Florida

6 posted 2006-06-14 05:15 PM

Sad we wait too long to pose those questions we find later we should have asked earlier. With age comes questions too late.....

Verbena
Member

since 2005-10-17

Posts 196
Australia

7 posted 2006-06-25 05:42 AM

Dear Joyce

This poem of yours has touched my heart! My mother was a 'closed book' and so I did not know anything about her side of the family and the same goes with my fathers side etc.

However, one of my sisters did do a bit of researching of our ancestory and at least I know where my ancestors came from.

Love Verbena xo

Lighthousebob
Member Elite

since 2000-06-14

Posts 4725
California

8 posted 2006-06-28 01:51 PM

Joyce,

Regrettably, not even knowing the name of my Great-Great Grandmother, I think that it's wonderful that you've given your's a bit of a face here through the lending of your pen and your gifted poetic talent.

Enjoyed reading and God bless.

-Bob

jody5
Senior Member

since 2005-12-21

Posts 876
California, U.S.A.

9 posted 2006-07-07 09:49 PM

Joyce, I remember my great grandma. My grandma showed me a picture of her in a casket. Morbid, but I remember my grandma though and your poem brought a tear to my eye. I have a book about my granddads family. Woodenshoe bardow was his name and he started the 1 babtist church in north DK

Joyce Johnson

Member Rara Avis

since 2001-03-10

Posts 9912
Washington State

10 posted 2006-07-08 10:43 AM

Dear Jody

Thanks for reading. I was born in North Dakota and my dad came there with an immigrant train from Indiana. He came with a group of Church of the Brethren members who were invited there by the town of Cando because they were hard working farmers who wold make good with their homesteads. They had a little settlement called Zion, a church and a cemetary. I was baptised in that little church and my little brother is buried in the cemetary. Love, Joyce

TinaTrivett
Senior Member

since 2006-07-15

Posts 569

11 posted 2006-07-15 10:45 PM

I love this piece. I wish I could speak with mine as well. Her name was America...and she was a great lady.

I have kept journals since my children were babies. I wish my G Grandmother had kept them too.

Joyce Johnson

Member Rara Avis

since 2001-03-10

Posts 9912
Washington State

12 posted 2006-07-15 10:51 PM

Thanks Tina. Well at least my greatgrands should have a pretty good idea of their grandma's life. I have it all in my poems somewhere. Joyce

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