A Hymn to the Ancestors

On this day in 1066, William, Duke of Normany and his band of barely civilized, barely Frenchified Norsemen crossed the channel and began their conquest of England.

Soon his bloody hand would put a king’s crown on his brow.

Among the band of brigands was my direct male ancestor. He appears to have done rather well, as well…

Another hundred years or so after some of his descendants would cross to Ireland, and for their bloody deeds would be given the county of Waterford.

Sometime later a peasant with a different name from the neighboring county, but carrying the genes would immigrate to America.

A couple of generations later, I would be born.