Joanna Gilman Hyde

"Good Morning, World!"

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The Hawk Portico 5:00pm

Boy am I glad I got

My Canadian Citizenship

— at first I thought

I had to relinquish My American

but I didn’t —

so I got My Canadian in 1995

I call My Self a Dual Citizen

Born American

Canadian By Choice

and as a Canadian, under

the provisions of the Citizen Act and,

as such, [am] entitled to all the rights

and privileges and [am] subject

to all the duties and responsibilities

of a Canadian Citizen

ENDEARMENT

The Hawk Portico NOON

When I hear The Squawk of The Jay

It stirs something in Me

some nebulous touch of nostalgia

I cannot put My Finger on

It has something to do with My Childhood

or My Growing Up

solitary in Valley Cottage

maybe in The Backyard Woods —

I had few friends:

one kooky one

Who always chanted “Hyde Hyde —

Take Me Outside”

when I was happy to oblige

after some pretend reluctance