Joanna Gilman Hyde

The Hawk Kitchen Noon

I take off My Quartz Crystal Question Mark Ring

to put on a dusting mitt for The Staircase

— the only part of The House I dust

with any regularity —

& contemplate The Particles

thereupon:

The Cat Hairs mingled with unidentifiable fibres

small elements of organic matter — probably off shoes

The Shallow White Film attributable to dead skin cells

accumulating

as I sweep down Twelve Red Steps

whereupon

lost I become in A Cosmos

of underhanded

trickery

knowing I will repeat the process

ad infinitum