Joanna Gilman Hyde

I had wanted to build

A silver bird —

Eagle perhaps

With a golden EYE

But not having the place

In which to cast

Out my desire

I withdraw

My clause

Christ wasn’t brought up

But it was ok

To talk of how pigs are killed

When their brains are missed

And how they drink the blood

Of their buddies —

This guest had brought

Peanut butter Haagen-Dazs

And when her story was over

She got up to do the dishes

And handed out the spoons