Joanna Gilman Hyde

The Hawk West Desk Window 8:00am

It’s Time I Said Good-Bye

to My Mother

right from where I stand Today

I will not be going out to The Island

with The Alternative Energy Tech —

My Daughter will go in My Stead —

I can rely on Eliza

as My Mother relied on Me —

I will not be going down memory lane

to The Thoreau House in the woods

built by My Mother’s Perfect Son-in-law

I will not be going There —

I will not be sweeping up dead flies

in My Mother’s Island House —

I swept the flies there alone once

when I was 18 — Eliza’s age —

to open The Place for My Mother’s arrival —

Today Eliza will be readying for a prospective buyer

& I will not be walking down to The Lower Orchard

to visit My Mother’s Limestone Squirrel

perched on Her Granite Marker —

Today I Stand in Eliza’s Corner Room upstairs

Here At The Hawk

& gaze upon The Panorama of Sun’s Rays

filtering down on My Atlantic Home