written March 17, 2019
I was in a hospital hallway
hearing Peter crying out in pain
seeing Him on a hospital bed
lying on His Left Side
in a pool of pea soup coloured vomit
thin
and I went to Him
as His Former Wife
to hear Him say
Dr Wilson was leaving
because He hated Shelburne.
Then Peter was to be transferred
to another bed
and a nurse handed Me a bag
of His Vomit-soaked Clothing
and I wondered if it was My Responsibility
to wash It
written March 17, 2019
Yesterday morning at 6:00 am
I woke (late) to clean out My Closets
and went through all My Purses
from years ago
and there was My Dear Little Turquoise Satchel
shaped like a settled tear drop
pretty, but totally useless
from that era of Shelburne
whenever it was
whenever it was
when I walked around
and around
dressed in co-ordinated fabrics
supposedly raising a daughter
while my son visited for supper
once in a while
and I slept in My Childhood Bed
with a man I was barely married to
who kept me
on drugs
because I was in love with someone else
Joanna Gilman Hyde 