My ancestors settled
on the glacier flattened lands
of central Illinois.
That was two hundred years ago.
Or eight generations.
I have photos only back to grandpa Frank.
In twenty-two years
the farm would be near
the startup town of Earlville.
Earlville was named after
Earlville New York
by an early settler.
According to the family history
not one family member participated
in the Black Hawk war.
My ancestors grew yellow corn
for two hundred years
and survived
all the storms
draughts and insects
that plague farmers.
Over the years
low crop prices forced
mission creep
upon each generation.
Grandpa Frank was also
an electrician.
My father grew up on the farm
and raised show ponies
to finance his university education.
The great depression
wiped out all his savings
along with most people’s savings.
He put himself through university
working as an electrician wiring a section
of Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry.
copyright © 2022 Kenneth P. Gurney
Umflop 