Only Daughter

I piece you together in my mind, knowing that no matter my skill with design, no matter my skill with color and composition - what you will ulitmately be will be far beyond my wildest dreams. You will put my visions to shame.

I see his smile and wonder, will you be so lucky? Or his eyes - or best: his laugh. I see he and I together and sometimes it makes me pause. I can see you. I can see where you'll be coming from and I find myself already feeling blessed. I find myself already hoping and wishing for you.

I take all of our best (and worst) qualities and cannot help but imagine what you will do with such things. WIll you see visions, too? Will you be haunted by images, will you be haunted by songs that need pictures? Will you run run run? Will you have an endless energy, an endless capacity for exploring? How will you take who we are and make it good? How will you mimick us? How will you leave us behind? What long lost relative will be refelcted in you?

You are years from now. Tissue paper sketches from canvas. Lists of word from book. Passing reflections and echoing laughter. But I await your arrival like the robin enjoys the snow; with spring in his heart.

We will both, ultimately, be blood from a Stone. And it is that connection to my family - to the parts of his I will never meet - that strange ability you will have to stretch across generations in your eyes, your hands, your wit, that is one of the things I most look forward to. The thought of it is hard not to dwell on, the magic of it. The gift.

And so, Wylie Venkmen, Jackson Bell, Henry Stone, Samyra Alice . . whomever you choose and come to be . . . know that you were anxiously anticipated. This only daughter shall treasure you for the family you will create, both past and present . . .


'Cause it runs in the family, it's coursing through our veins
It lingers and gets caught in our hearts
Running in the family, it's a little like insane
The trimmings and the trappings of the artist and the art

Blood from a stone, wine from water
I'd die here alone, only daughter
Blood from a stone, wine from water
I'd die here alone, like a lamb to slaughter
-- Jonatha Brook

And, PS - just to be absolutely crystal clear - we're totally not having a kid anytime soon. I just think of it sometimes, and wanted to share my thoughts . . . so no one call child services or start planning baby showers just yet. :)