ON BEING AN ANCESTRESS (To My Great- great Grandchildren) (Author unknown) I shall not care for it, I’m sure, The being dead, you know, my dears, And hanging primly on a wall- Just looking on for years and years! Ah, no, I’m sure I shall not like To be imprisoned there in paint; I, who love being up- to date, Shall never like just being... quaint! Of course I’ll do the proper thing, And hang serenely in my place Beside your great- great grandpapa – A wifely smile upon my face! And you will all look up to me _ Believe, no doubt, I was a saint, For all my faults, of course will be Quite blotted out by time and… paint! No doubt your honored parents, dears, Will point my portrait out and say: “Your great- great granny would be shocked - Things were so different in her day!” And I’ll not say a word, nor smile - I’ll look demure, show no surprise – But, dears, if you seek sympathy, I think you’ll find it in my eyes! And if you stand and look at me, And, wistful, wonder if I knew The pain, the passion and the stress Of life, as they are felt by you, Come closer, dears, and never tell – To you a secret I’ll entrust: Your flaming hearts have caught their fire From your great- great grandmother’s dust!