Joanna Gilman Hyde

The Hawk Queen Bed 9:36am

Yesterday I spent a solid

half hour binocularly focused

on a North American Flicker

scrabbling around in one spot

in Our Front Yard

near the driveway

where Hunter’s Secretary

was due to arrive

for a dinner date

She was a special guest

all right —

She drove in, in Her Husband’s Truck

and scared My Flicker away

She stood in Our Doorway

in all Her Glory

of lost 7o lbs

eyelash extensions —

a vision of red-crested delight

and boy was I focused