FAMILY ALBUMS

HAPPY Joan crafted Happy from driftwood

with a blunt kitchen knife carefully sculpting
his flawless nose, gaping mouth & eye sockets.

She painted his face blue, later adding white lips
& a black mouth. Inserting his blue marble

plastic eyes was a great pleasure
& she stuck on leather bootlace brows

& a bowtie smiling to herself.
Joan hand stitched & glued on loose satin robes.

'I made you to be, Happy,' Joan whispered
into Happy's green plastic ears that once had
served as junkfood container tops.

Dizzy from the fumes loan sewed


fish line into sleeves, shoulder lapels & sox.
Secured the strings on to the chopstick rods.

Then she flipped his slender body around
& gazed intently into Happy's bright eyes,

'Are you happy, Happy?' she asked huskily.
Happy stared back at her motionless.

She set Happy down on the dusty floor


tapped her foot & clicked her tongue.
'Dance, Happy, dance!'

Happy with appropriate good grace twirled & bowed.
Joan smiled as Happy took off in flight squealing with delight.

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