On genealogy

What fun, I thought, that it would be,
To trace my genealogy,
To know the names, the times, and how
My family grew, from then to now.

My chart looked like a pyramid;
I wrote my name on top, I did.
Below, I wrote in Mom and Dad,
The closest relatives I  had.

Next, grandparents, four in all,
My parents' parents, I recall.
And then the "greats," eight in number;
No time then, to think of slumber.

The second "greats" made up sixteen,
More relatives than I'd foreseen,
Until I got to "great, great, greats,"
All thirty-two, both men and mates.

I had to slow my search a while;
I wrote down more names in the file,
Left room for cousins, uncles, aunts,
Part of the crowd by birth enhanced.