Dancing Doris dances still by Maryanne Raphael

Have been away from my work since November 13 when I went to Ohio to say goodbye to Dancing Doris, my 93 year old mother who is now dancing in Heaven.  My nine brothers and sisters were all with me when Mother made the leap.  She was as prolific with her writing as she was with producing children.  She wrote a poem for each of her own major life events and for those of her family and friends.  Her grandchildren each chose one of her poems to read at the funeral.  My son Raphael is living in Kazakhstan teaching the art of film making at the American International university and he could not join us.  He wrote a poem for his grandmother and sent it on the computer.  I read it at the funeral.

Mother kept a journal all her life and wrote essaies and short stories as well as her poems.  I was surprised when we went through her possessions and discovered an entire chest of drawers filled with her writings.
When she was fifty years old she told me, "I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up."   She  filled her days with love, laughter, creativity, friendship and compassion.  We  know she is saving a good place for all of in Heaven where she now dances with the Lord of the Dance.

by Maryanne Raphael, her first born.