My family is hugely important to me. And so, family finds its way into my work!

ALL MY DESCENDENTS My daughter and my son (minus spouses) with their (then) 3 babies, Dane, Leif & Mara.
New Baby June, born November 14, 2007.

X-MAS DAY 2007
in our Burgeoning Family

In these last fertile weeks of the year
Nico took his first steps
Pache started to crawl
Tiago learned how to read

on his own
Leify learned how to talk
in full sentences
Dane started to swim

without wings,underwater, while
Mara-- the mermaid-- again & again
leapt into the pool, and sweet

baby June
fresh out of the womb
smiled her first smile
at her mom
this bright Christmas morning.

12/25/07


LITTLE FISHIES SCOOPED OUT
OF THE OCEAN OF TIME

They’re the cutest little squirmy things
all slippery as fresh caught trout
& you so proud
(the way you carry them around.)

They smile & pout
& wet & poo -- it’s true!
They hold the future
in their bodies

& you

so careful not to drop. While
on the horizon, we granpies
& grannies, great
uncles & aunties,

slowly descend
in a pale orange glow
(fumbling the triggers
of our digital cameras.)

No reason to fuss.
It’s the way of the world.

But it’s you, busy mummies
& daddies (who never get to sleep)
Thank you for working so hard
to keep it all running.

I’m so glad
you learned how to cook.

Joan Dobbie
12/06/06