The Tomato-coloured Couch 7:47pm
In My Royal Purple Velour Blazer
by Vince Cumoto, size 8
My Ultra Skinny Simon Chang
Black Denim Leggings, size 8
My College Made In Canada
Black Ankle Boots, size 8
With My Mother’s Island House Sale Present
to My Self:
My BIRK’S Sterling Esty Swirl Bangle
On My Left Forearm
With My BIRK’S Gold Dagger in My Right Fist
I Will Defend My Silver Shower
To The Death
The Tomato-coloured Couch 7:22pm
When I was five years old
My Mother took Me into New York City
to see The Musical Annie Get Your Gun
The Only Part I remember
was The Ballroom Scene
with actors holding plates of food
& I asked My Mother
“Is That Real Food?”
The Hawk Basement 11:22am
I have ULTRAVISION
standing in My Packed-up Basement
Packed-up for Library renovations
here I have The Computer
I named The Hulk
am I off track?
Oh! ULTRAVISION is green!
Indian Ring Neck Parrot Green
glowing on the obsolete VCR
The Hawk Kitchen 10:45am
When I was a not-so-little girl
I sucked My Thumb watching
Cowboys & Indians on My Father’s TV
until one night My Red-headed Step Sister
tied My Right Wrist to an iron bed post
with thick green yarn
–
Now I eat a daily banana
in My Back Yard
in My Bath Robe
& aim the peels
between the spaces
within the leafy — in summer —
hedge
Joanna Gilman Hyde 