Joanna Gilman Hyde

Today

I’m visiting

a new beach for me

Sand Hills

in Barrington Bay

and someone has built

a stone-lined walkway

along a sandy path

into the water —

there’s no surf here

only the steady murmur of incoming tide

over out-stretched sand

plenty wide

for hundreds of visitors —

only here on The South Shore

beaches are nearly bare

barren but for the occasional

seeker of solitude.

The families have left —

it’s supper time —

and Eye have walked out

over the flatness

having found a large quahog shell

the interior of which

holds an expanse

of mineral glaze

so much like the beach itself

it becomes my souvenir.

A family of eight

visited yesterday:

2 mothers, 2 fathers

one uncle and 3 children

and the oldest boy

aged 5

picked a selection of wildflowers:

2 daisies, 2 clovers

and one buttercup

but Eye couldn’t find my smallest vase:

pink with one china rose

so Eye used a shot glass

and placed it

upon my sink window sill

where its sweetness greeted me

today

My Friend Darlene —

Louisa for Her Art —

had a talk with God today

down to The Beandock

as She sat on a swing —

She told me it was casual —

“Lite”

She said She’s had enough

of Formalized Prayer

and told Him

how Her Day was going

& what She found at Frenchy’s

Yesterday Eye walked along

seafoam deminished

to the lowest level of waves —

What made the sea so calm?

When Eye got home

Eye decided to write

hanging art in my bedroom

rather than boyfriends —

Eye have no boyfriends

Eye have Art!

Our Planet is Beautiful

as The Sun rises over

The North End of Baccaro

Eye have to turn aside

in My Captain’s Chair

to see It

from the far left of My Picture Window —

The Sun has moved that far

(or We have)

to arrive in My Morning Corner Room

visited by four felines

happy to be alive

Money feeds Our Economy

through Our Veins

so we can go places

like to work

like to play

like to buy stuff

like to stay

in hotels

eating lots of food

paying bills late

or on time

so we can go places

& have a good time

See This Ring?

It doesn’t matter what It cost —

Eye bought It for My Birthday

Years and Years ago

to signify my “attachment”

to The Little Man

Eye say Eye have been in love with

for nearly three decades.

See This Diamond?

It houses a pie-shaped Inclusion

to signify Its Uniqueness

& Eye wear it upon my left ring finger

Now and Then

to signify my endless heart’s time.

Fog has obscured

My Cape Light

My Fast & True

Steadily Flashing

Like A Multi-carat Diamond

Against My Window Sill

My Bedroom Delight

there is nothing out there now

butt a dark haze

Ready to glow with the coming dawn

Ready to signal My Rising

And As Eye linger

Over My Writing

A Neighbour’s Headlights Drive Out

Illuminating Slowly

My Drenched Window

My Dripping Window

Eye have embarked on selling

My Mother’s book

McNutt’s Island Journal

wherever Eye can

and found today that

Eye could even sell

at Canadian Tire in Yarmouth

after which Eye went out

to a favourite restaurant

understaffed

where Eye ordered seafood fettuccine

with homemade noodles

which took over one hour to prepare

Eye didn’t mind

glancing at a dwarf mother

and her dwarf tot

Eye smiled because

She was waiting too

having a good time

at a large table

with men and other children

while the man Eye was with

grew impatient

and wanted to leave

and didn’t even ask

if Eye wanted dessert

My name really isn’t

Snow White — Eye just

feel like her

having escaped not from

a wicked step-mother

butt from a treacherous second marriage

into the sanctuary of my own home

with 5 cats

leftover from that faulty union

which left me not one

sentiment

so Eye clean the litter

morning & night

& feed the children

Molly, Jerome, Cami, Moulan & Astro

trying to pet each one

every day

at least