I Stared Death In The Face
& It Was A Black & White Face
–
We don’t know what anything is anymore,
except by what it is in relation
to something else
–
The Clock Has Stopped
@ Midnight
& The Chickadee’s Crown Is Black
I Am All Woman
I Weigh 145
In All The Right Places
I wear a .push-up bra
on the recommendation
of My 17 year-old Daughter
My Hair Has Three Strands Of Grey —
Red, White, & Blue
The President Of The United States
is 3 months younger than Me
& I Have The Same Birthday
as Stephen Harper
I Keep My Family Fed
& My House In Order
My Political Views
are for Public Consumption
& Some Of Them
Are NOT Very Tasty
H-e-a-r
I Am
dressed in a white sweat shirt
My Daughter’s pyjama bottoms
H-e-a-r
I Am
drinking a cup of tea — Earl Grey
sitting in My Grandmother’s Wrought Iron Arm Chair
H-e-a-r
I Am
next to The Sliding Glass Doors
It’s Grey Out
I Have To Check
On My Black & White Cat
Dear Guy Tozzoli:
You always called Me
“The World’s Greatest Artist”
You said
“You’re The Greatest Woman To Ever Live”
–
You provided the rectilinear framework
I provided The Nautilus
–
Am I Not
“The Face Who Launched A Thousand Ships?”
We Mark Stages In Our Lives
By The Pets We Have Loved
—
My Pet Lies Tonight
As The Nautilus
Our Black & White Kitty
Wants To Be Petted —
I Am Dressed In Black & Grey
having come to realize
Self Organizing Galaxy
spawned 9/11
Last Night @ 7:15
Mumbo reappeared
at Our Front Door
She spent The Night
on the floor of Hunter’s Room
on a sheep fleece
and greeted Me This Morning
when I called Her “Mumbolette”
She took 2 laps of water, no treats
and Hunter decided to give Her
a Cortisone Pill
She sat on the mat by the kitchen door
but We wouldn’t let Her Out
Even Then She Vanished
I looked all over the house
including the basement
and just now found Her
upstairs under Our Bed
I let Mumbo out This Morning
She had eaten nothing
and was sitting by the kitchen door
She sat on the deck
where I thought She might stay
the next thing I knew
She was wandering briefly
dark in The Neighbours’ Drive
She disappeared.
–
At lunchtime I heard from Hunter:
“Mumbo, where are You?”
Mumbo is camped out
on Our Black Cat Mat
in Hunter’s Room
— really The Family Room —
She had about a teaspoon
of evaporated milk
but managed to eat a few cat treats
earlier today
so maybe She’s not
on Her Last Legs
I just finished settling Mumbo
on a fish-shaped padded mat
sewn by Eliza
a long time ago —
I gave Mumbo some evaporated milk
which She took
is She stationed here
in My Hawk Kitchen
on Her Mat behind My Grandmother’s Chair?
Joanna Gilman Hyde 