Joanna Gilman Hyde

Eye had a father once

somewhere in my life

with his fancy name

or did Eye?

Eye have conceived a Devil

in My Mind

in My Body briefly

to keep You in Line:

The Impetuous Child

Blue-skinned & Thick-haired

to get You to The Church

on time

Eye saw His Face

at The Dance

Eye saw His Body gyrate

Eye stared into His Scottish Eyes

(He not knowing why)

before He made His Late Escape

to smoke a cigarette

Eye was Born

with the proverbial Silver Spoon

and after 30 years of tarnish

Eye have polished It

This Morning

I was that child

being pushed in the little red swing

built by my grandfather

up high

enough so that my toes

touched the leaves

of his knoll’s

crab apple tree

Astro, Astro Jasper Cosmo

died this morning

asleep in the green kitchen chair —

He had a spasm

and lolled His head

through the wrought iron arm

and was gone

That Fast:

My Cuddily Buddily

Big Black

Super Cat

Tonight Eye drove

along a band of gold

lining the West

below a dense sky

Eye drove

to pick up Eliza

working in The Coast Guard —

I stood on the deck

of her 50 foot cutter

to look at the sun

but it was gone

and so was the band —

dispersed cloud

faint pink

accompanied us home

My lovely daughter Eliza

thinks Eye should take my art down

and repaint over my graffiti

in the livingroom and bedroom —

butt Eye like my graffiti

it doesn’t bother me

and Eye like my art

it fosters me.

Eliza thinks Eye should have dinner parties

and a garden

and Cousin Carol with the voice of reason

thinks Eye should have old people

over for tea

in a graffiti-less house

in a relaxing house

uncluttered by art.

My daughter thinks my house

is a microcosm of my life

butt Eye see my house

as a reflection of me —

besides, my lovely friend Darlene Louisa

likes my house

plastered with my work

and hers.

My life with Dr Blair is over

& what have I moved into?

Tales of Miss Winfield

the raven-haired beauty

who looks like Snow White

caught off guard

under the hands of a janitor

while she wore dresses from Reitman’s

as a teacher’s aide —

She quit her job

and went into a decline

rather than tell on him

and was brought down too

by a user boyfriend

who told her he would buy a ring

but never did —

Mature & married now

with two grown sons

her hair is salt & pepper

under a layer of dye

and she listens to her friends

one a hair dresser

and one who’s me

Eye see no silver today

Dripping its way across

My lonely ocean

Of calm contemplation