Joanna Gilman Hyde

My house is for sale

and everything it contains

every scrap of art created by my children

every archived piece of juvenalia

from my self and my brother

every file box of family letters

every binder of plastic sheeted cards

my art, my art

spread along every wall

housed in my once-loved studio

it all has to go.

My painted doll dresser

made by my grandparents

Eye emptied out yesterday

ready to sell

and the cats, the cats

will have to find a new place

except for Astro

my biggest blackest cat