The Hawk Kitchen Outpost 6:29pm
Our Back Yard houses
one lichen-covered Scraggly Apple
looking like a swath of coral
showing off any bird
deciding to perch there
by the deck
and beyond the kitchen
sliding glass door
from which I gaze
out to Our One-tree Yard —
source of My Undying Affection
The Hawk Queen Bed 7:36pm
I watched a crow peck
the remaining shepherd’s pie
from last night’s supper
The Tomato-coloured Couch 4:38pm
A Brown-headed Cow Bird
has taken a fancy to My Car Mirror —
with binoculars from My Upstairs Window
I watched Him preen
in front of His Reflection
for minutes elapsing
until He crapped
and a cat
scared Him away
The Hawk Kitchen Outpost 2:15pm
I saw a black-headed Grackle
atop My Scraggly Apple
as I put together
a shepherd’s pie
and stopped
to watch
His Darkness
against The Sky
The Hawk Kitchen Outpost 1:14pm
EYE am a single
Love Bird
housed in a beautiful cage
without Its Mate
The Hawk Queen Bed 2:45pm
Here I am on The Hawk Queen Bed
with Hunter, The Cats
and The Birds through the windows —
I can hear The Surf, distantly
and the fog has cleared
leaving rays of light
on My Wadded Up Bathrobe
set aside
The Hawk Kitchen Outpost 8:28am
I wake to the sounds
of the ocean —
a distant Willet
and local gulls
It might be six
in the morning
but I am afforded
the luxury
of lying in bed
until 7:30
Eliza’s Room 7:30am
The Waves are subtle
from Eliza’s Room —
even the birds seem quiet
and I didn’t hear the crowing
of a neighbouring rooster
I saw yesterday
on My Way to The Guzzle —
I saw Him with His fine teal tail
and about four red hens
the next road over
from where I could see
the back of My House
and the new window
for where I sleep
The Hawk Kitchen Outpost 7:49pm
The Cry of The Gull
tells Me where I am
where I want to be
beside The Ocean
in a house I love
with cats I love
and A Husband
I am grateful for
in The Morning
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
Joanna Gilman Hyde 