Survivor

I am a survivor I come from hearty stock I've seen their trials and tribulations Heard stories of things they fought Living off the land Providing with what they had Using everything they owned To provide a loving home Through many sacrifices Through sickness and through health Their lives were dedicated To others not themselves Family was what came first The little ones always fed The older ones contributed To make sure their needs were met Uncle's , Aunts, and cousins Parents and their kids Relied upon their Grandparents To instill the life they lived They built their homes from logs They cut and stripped and lined One upon the other The strongest frame of its kind Through the bitter cold of winter To the summers heat below This family reached out it's limbs And the branches they did grow Many branches on that tree Still remain today The elders made a strong trunk That still survives each day I was born a survivor Into this hearty tree The limb that I belong to Has taught very much to me