Joanna Gilman Hyde

The Hawk Portico 5:15pm

One year out of art school

I rose to stellar fame

— or tried to —

when I painted the roof

of The World Trade Center

& fended off The Director’s

romantic advances

He’s dead now

so I’m free to write

that I did NOT sleep My Way

to the top

that MY TOP has not been reached

yet

But It’s Going To Be

In My Lifetime

even if I have to die first