Joanna Gilman Hyde

August 8th, 2026

Ottawa International Airport

2:50 pm

Mother & Son Graduation Photo

from Peak’s Army Course in Petawawa

was posted on Facebook

under His Mother’s Heading of Master Corporal

butt since Peak hasn’t been promoted YET

He got upset

so His Sister changed The Heading

during Our Last Family Meal

in Kingston, Ontario

overlooking The Speedboat Marina

over Peak’s Beef Tartine

& My Gingery Moscow Mule Mocktail

before We all walked along The Waterfront

for more drinks

& photos

& broke company

for The Graduate & Girlfriend Chantal

& Mother, me

2 head 2 Ottawa for 1 night:

in a nice hotel — The Lord Elgin —

We went 2 bed immediately

& after a good sleep

where We 3 woke right at 7

We ate superb Ukrainian scones

at a trendy cafe

& went 2 look at art

in The National Gallery.

2 Silver Spires graced The Sky

as We drove The Mother, me

2 Ottawa International Airport

while the pealing of bells

announced a wedding procession

from the steps of The Church.

As We passed along The Rideau Canal

The Mother, me

was heard 2 say

“1 day when I’m A Doddering  Old Lady

I might live in a city like Ottawa.”

*voiced from behind my airplane seat

back 2 Halifax — by a young boy.

August 6th, 2026

Halifax Airport, NS

1:28 pm

I could write a song:

“Baby Bunny On The Highway”

“Baby Bunny On The Highway”

Back & Forth — Forth & Back —

“Baby Bunny On The Highway.”

August 3rd, 2026

The Hawk Kitchen Outpost

7:08 am

How many days has it been

that Gully has sailed in

for His Breakfast —

He’s been here for 9 years

from when I started

throwing peanuts 2 tame Him

from when I lured Him

2 My Hand

w scraps of bacon

until that glorious Morning

when He took a piece

right from My Fingers —

(I don’t remember how many years ago

I trained Him 2 say “Breakfast” —

“Brrk Brrk”

for His Treats of Bacon

until I began 2 feel guilty

for making Him “Speak”)

— 3,285?

July 31st, 2026

Yarmouth, NS

7:00 pm

In The Western Sun

of Tusket

I ate an icecream cone

costing 10 times

what it did

when I was a kid —

I chose Butter Pecan

& It dripped onto My Tongue

as I enjoyed thoroughly

every lick

July 29th, 2026

The Hawk Corner Room

9:03 am

Last Friday I dressed in Grey

2 select a Cat

from the SPCA

on Hardscratch Road

& found a Big Black Fluffy Feline

whose previous owners

had 2 give Him away

when they moved into an apartment

forbidding pets —

Now He’s Mine

not 2 take the place of Astro

(who never settled on My Bed) —

This Ozzy keeps me company

as My New Mascot should

& I love Him all the more

for being so good

July 28th, 2026

The Hawk Deck

9:15 am

What causes The Sound of Waves

suddenly 2 lull into Silence

into utter Stillness on My Deck —

is It a Change in Wind

(butt there was no Wind)

a Change in Tide?

(The Tide looks High

outside My West Side Door

of Glass)

or did The Quiet of The Morning

overtake The Day

& soak into The Ocean

calming It 2 No End

& 2 No Beginning?

July 23rd, 2026

The Hawk Deck

2:55 pm

The Summer of Ketch Harbour

began in The Rain —

no use for Eliza’s Glorious Deck —

Her Pillows had 2 be brought in.

First Night in Her Basement

soon 2 be Air BnB’d

I slept on a Twin

(which was OK by Me.)

The Next Day of Rain

I didn’t mind sitting

on Her Big Comphy Couch

reading of Vivien Leigh —

I ate hard-boiled eggs

& a chunk of Old Boursin

& waited for Eliza 2 come back

from Her Coast Guard Post

“Leading Seaman” —

She nestled beside the TV.

We ate Tabouleh & Chicken Thighs

& watched an old documentary:

Summer of The Trans-Canada Highway 1958 —

highlighting all geographic spots

throughout This Glorious Country

where My Daughter had ever been.

My 2nd Morning woke 2 mist

& a single Red-breasted Grose Beak

outside Eliza’s bedroom window

as She sat against the walnut headboard

of My Old 4-posted Bed

drinking coffee brought by Me.

Just before She left again

Eliza warmed My Heart:

“You can come back

whenever you want –“

then topped It

by texting from work:

“Stop by The Station

Mom

2 say Goodbye Again.”

July 21st, 2026

Liverpool, NS — birthplace of Eliza

3:00 pm

Coulda been a Singer

Coulda been a Surgeon —

Coulda been an Actress

(even stayed a Virgin) —

Coulda been a Golfer

Coulda been a Pro —

Coulda been a Dancer —

you should sea Me Go!

Coulda been All These “Things” —

Coulda had The Life

butt now I’m too much older

(much too young)

2 start The Path of Strife.

July 18th, 2026

The Hawk Deck

3:50 pm

Eye wonder what the other Gulls

think of My Gully

fraternizing w The Humans

& Cats

(or 1 Human & 1 Cat)

getting doled out the occasional piece

of rare bacon —

getting talked to

in high-pitched English —

getting admired as He preens

on His Rail

because He’s a PET —

Eye wonder…

July 12, 2026

The Hawk Queen Bed

1:22 am

My Daughter Eliza

has vacated Her Room

Her Lavender Room

Here On The Hawk —

Eye have laid a purple quilt

Over Her Naked Bed

2 signify Her Departure

& because I do not know

if I will make it up

for anyone else.