Eye have My Princess Dress
in Lime Green Satin
sequined of course
with exposed crinoline lining
in multiple layers —
It was for Some Girl’s Prom
but Eye will make of It what I will:
Sex On A Hilltop
in The High Meadow Grass
filmed
Eye asked Dr Schweitzer
if I should have
“Two” X Husbands
and Eye answered
My Self:
ONE is bad enough.
Eye will paint
The Sea Foam White
inlaid with shards of shells
collected
with infant fingers
from My First Beach
in Africa
What are The Extremities
of The Human Body
but The Rays of A Star?
He’s only one beach walk
away —
Eye could trip over
The Asteroid Belt
Eye could manifest
My Self
like Venus
at The Edge of Sea Foam
dressed in My Black
LL Bean
one-piece
Eye could
On My Dresser
when I was little
I displayed a black & white
photograph of My Father
dressed as George Washington
for a costume party —
I remember His Girlfriend
as Martha
showing Me Her Skirts —
all Her Skirts
right down to Her Short Lace Slip —
I remember The Layers
as She counted
like the lime-green prom dress
I think I’ll buy
from The Salvation Army
to dance My Dance of Hip Hop
with arms revealed
legs concealed
Yeah, He tried to box
Me in
with sex
drugs
& money —
& not that much money
either
The trick is to hold Your Power
over someone’s head
without bashing in
His Skull
Having no recall
of giving away My Quilt
is It on a bed?
If You’re a poet
and You kill Yourself
no one will appreciate
Your Work
the way You would have
wanted.
If You’re an artist
and You cut off Your Ear
people will call You
insane.
Joanna Gilman Hyde 