I Started Out Calmly Tracing My Tree

I started out calmly tracing my tree

To find, if I could, the making of me

And all that I had was Great Grandfather's name

Not knowing his wife or which way he came.

I chased him across a long line of states

And came up with pages and pages of dates

When all put together it made me forlorn

I'd proved poor Great Grandpa had never been born.

One day I was sure the truth I had found

Determined to turn this whole thing upside down

I looked up the records of one Uncle John

But then found the old man to be younger than his son.

Then when my hopes were fast growing dim

I came across records that must have been him

The facts I collected then made me quite sad

Dear ol' Great Grandfather was never a dad.

I think maybe someone is pulling my leg

I'm not at all sure I wasn't hatched from an egg

After hundreds of dollars I've spent on my tree

I can't help but wonder if I'm really me?

Anon.