Pic is Daffodils ... didn't have any daisies ...

It is a term my Dad frequently used, when remembering someone fondly.

Maybe not a true poem, but has true feelings. Just an idea I got today, to send to my Family members - while my 'pea-brain' still works.

Other than one male cousin, Don, who is older than me, and still alive - I am now the Patriarch of my side of the family, at 68.

R.I.P.

Pushin’ Up Daisies

© - Tom Hyland - 04-01-09

Dedicated To - Those Who Have Gone Before Us:


Paternal Grand-Father, James C. Hyland -
A Cabinet-Maker, Father of Thirteen.
Paternal Grand-Mother, Mary (Hill) Hyland -
Homemaker and Mother, Died in Childbirth.

Maternal Grand-Father, Captain Isaiah Madkins -
Skipper of Bug-Eye Ketch, The Ella Covington.
Maternal Grand-Mother, Dora (Brown) Madkins -
Mother of Five and Great Cook and Baker.

Father, Thomas K. Hyland, Sr. -
First Class Rigger, Boilermaker, Riveter - and Best Pal.
Carpenter, Plumber, Mason - He did it All.
Irish Tenor with a Voice - Not Small.

Mother, Ethel Madeline (Madkins) Hyland -
Mother of Three, with Heart of Gold.
Homemaker, Grand-Mother, Baby-Sitter -
Of Her, many a Story has been Told.

Sister, Adele Ethel (Hyland) Gillece -
Mother of Four, and a real ‘Cut-Up.’
Her Daughter, Barbara Ann Allen, Chip Off the Block -
Son, Daniel Louis Sizer - Taken too Young -
Second Husband, Edward Gillece, WWII Veteran.


Sister, Rose Marie (Hyland) Niven -
Mother of Five, and a Singing Lady.
Second Husband, James B. Niven, Jr. -
WWII Veteran and more like my Brother.
Matthew Thompson, their Grand-Son - just last Year!

Father’s Side:

Adele Rose (Hyland) Tully -
Matriarch, DAR Patriot, Aunt ‘Honey.’
Her Son, John Harry Calvert, and Wife, Marian.
Uncle Ben Tully, WWII Veteran, and Quiet Uncle.

Uncle James ‘Leo’ Hyland, WWI Veteran,
Who suffered with PTSD, before the term was Coined -
Awarded Two Medals for Fighting in France.

Uncle Harry Hyland, and Aunt Agnes -
Who Hailed from Curtis Bay, Maryland -
Parents of Three -
Harry Hyland, Jr. and wife, Cass -
Catherine (Hyland) Schultze and Hubby, Charlie.

Aunt Mary (Hyland) Goetze, and Uncle John -
Retired Maryland State Trooper -
Their Son, John Jr. “Buzzy” -
Another ‘Chip off the Old Block.”

Uncle Dave Hyland, who could really
“Tickle The Ivories”
He, Dad, and Harry all called
Each other “Bo.”

Uncle John Hyland, and Second wife, Ida -
Hailed from Boston, Mass and Johnson City, Tenn.

Sorry - that’s only Seven Named -
There were Six More -
Two Named Mary, were Stillborn.
This leaves Four to be Researched yet.

Mother’s Side:

Uncle Edward “Eddie” Madkins - Who Chewed Cigars -
Wife, Virginia “Aunt Virgie” -
Parents of Four -
Sons: Leonard, Donald, Thomas -
All Gone to The Fore!

Aunt Tina (Madkins) Dickerson - Husband Edward -
Parents of Three -
Son, Howard, who was a Stevedore,
And wife, Nellie - they are No More!

Aunt Mary (Madkins) Hoffmann, and Uncle John -
Son, John, Jr. - My Buddy “Johnny” -
WWII Frogman - Expert Swimmer, who -
Drowned on my Seventh Birthday!

Uncle Jesse Madkins - WWII Veteran -
U.S. Navy Sailor - at Normandy on D-Day!
Quiet, Devoted, and Dedicated -
I helped him and Dad to Build his Cape Cod Home.
Father of One Son.


No Doubt there are many Other:
Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins,
All Gone to Heaven - to Build Us a Place -
But, Memory now Fails me, as I Close this Space!

A Few Interesting Facts about My Dad:

When Fifteen, or Sixteen, after his Mother Died,
He ran away from Home -
Worked as a Stoker, shoveling Coal into Steam Locomotives -
Lied about his Age, and Joined The U.S. Cavalry,
And worked with Mule Teams, down in Texas -
Somewhere I have his Discharge Papers!

Sometime later, he enlisted in The U.S. Navy,
Where he learned to be a Boilermaker -
His Notes in an old little book tell of
How he once went AWOL - and was afraid of
Going to the Brig - But he Returned Anyway -
More Honorable Discharge Papers!

Before I was Born - he was Blown off a Scaffold
During a Storm, in Curtis Bay -
While building one of those Huge Oil Tanks there -
Broken Bones, Ruptured Spleen,
Cast from Armpits to Ankles -
Told by Doctors that he would Never Work Again!

BUT - a Depression was on, and he had a Wife
And Two Young Daughters to Feed -
He wore a Thick, Heavy, Leather Belt -
To “Keep his Bones Together”
And WORKED another Thirty Plus Years -
As a First-Class Rigger, Climbing Masts
And installing Rigging on Ships!

Somehow - Someway - this Man of Will Power -
And Determination - also Found a Way to
Attend Southern High School at Nights
And Earned his High School Equivalency!

And you Wonder Why -
I’m a “Hard-Headed Irishman” ?

Could Be - Just Another:


“Chip Off The Old Block”


? ? ?



© - TKH