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.
Eye play in My Bed
These Days
without a bed mate
I turn on My Phone
& check
My Rooftop Views
I choose My Underwear
very carefully
& Eye use The Toilet
with Its fickle plumbing
next door to My Very Own
Accommodations
Eye understand that Dr William Hunter Blair
does not consider Himself
“A Bad Guy.”
This is how He sees His Self,
therefore He is NOT
a “Bad Guy.”
Eye can forgive Him.
I can call The Truce because
Eye know He can
and will
Live With Himself.
Eye was The 1st-grader
Who spilt chocolate milk
on Her smocked blue and white dress
in the school cafeteria
just before She was to sing
in the chorus
of “Chicken Little”
Eye sat in My Mother’s
yellow butterfly chair
thrown out by
My First husband
tanned legs crossed —
broad arms crossed —
downward sideways glance
with My Father’s Gold Metal
around My Neck
& My Red Tank Top
bra-less
Joanna Gilman Hyde 