The Hawk West Desk Window 3:50pm
The World No Longer Waits
For Me
I Am Here
Bearing Us On
My Broadened Shoulders
My Booted Feet
Braced Against Frozen Ground
As I Carry Every Loose
Timber To The Pile
Of Lumber Not For Burning
But For Building
The Tomato-coloured Recliner 4:30pm
Dear Bill N Lacy:
–
You know why I handed you all those pathetic love letters while I was a student at Cooper Union and you were President? I was youthfully in lust with you, no matter what the letters said, and you were correct never to have replied.
–
After I graduated, I gave you hand-knitted socks (not knitted by me) with a note for cold feet, and months later you said, “I still have those socks –”
–
I said, “Now you don’t need them –”
–
“Why?” you suddenly asked, and I sang out, “Because Now It’s Spring!”
–
(I was about to ask my children’s father to marry me.)
–
Two husbands later I am keeping up my record — this time for over twenty years — and the object of my attentions is a small leprechaun from Scotland with whom (I’ve told myself) I would travel to outer space.
–
I hope this letter finds you well.
–
Yours truly,
–
Joanna
The Hawk Kitchen 6:13pm
The Twigs Of The Scraggly Apple
Feel Their Way Up Toward The Eastern Blush
Of Sunset To My Back
The Top Branch Reaches A Cloud
— Fully Grey —
And Delineates My Future Comfort
In All Its Windy
Shivers
The Hawk Corner Room 10:22am
I Stood Naked
— as My Shower heated —
before The Corner Room Window
to lay My Eyes
upon The Sea
glistening Silver
in lateral streaks
to Cleanse Me
of My Jaded Spirit
The Hawk Queen Bed 2:22pm
This Is Nova Scotia
Land O’ M’ Dreams
Where Anything Can Happen
Sea Salt Air Calls Me
Through The Crack In My Window
I Rise To Its Undulating Voice
Determined To Listen
The Hawk Queen Bed 10:22am
This Morning I Was Accompanied
By Luminous Silver From The Ocean
While I Made Our Second Cups Of Coffee
& Unloaded The Dishwasher
The Tomato-coloured Couch 9:45pm
I see You at the doors
to Sobey’s with Your Wife
I’m with My Husband —
I dodge across The Parking Lot
to The Cart Corral
with Its Yellow Sign:
In The Event Of An Emergency
Gather Here
I sit cross-legged on the pavement
below The Sign —
Do You Come Over To Me?
Does My Husband —
Or Does He Converse With Your Wife?
When & With Whom
Do I Lift My Arms
Up & Out To The Sides
As I Did In Your Presence On October 22, 1993
To Voice, Not For The First Time
I Am In A Spiritual Emergency?
Joanna Gilman Hyde 