The Tomato-coloured Couch 11:44am
Black Jesus is now driving
a new white Silverado
I saw Him at The Clyde River Exit
& followed Him into Sobey’s in Barrington
where He parked
at The Yellow Sign On The Cart Corral:
“In The Event Of Emergency Gather Here”
He parked in an assembly
of White Vehicles
while I walked into The Store
to get some Cat Food
& fruit for My Sick Daughter
The Hawk West Desk Window 6:15pm
When I Go To Sleep At Night
I Think Of All Of Humanity
Swarming Over The Globe
Half Of Them/Us
Asleep In Acres Of Bedding
Each Speck A World To Itself
Unique In Its Make-up
Unique In The Life It Lives
Like The Configurations Of Galaxies
In The Petri Dish
Of Our Universe
The Tomato-coloured Couch 8:22pm
I am a little girl
hair in braids
clutching My Tabby Cat
listening to My Mother
–
I am a self-sufficient teenager
riding My Bike
on My Paper Route
making My Teachers happy
wanting to be a helicopter pilot
an artist on the side
–
I am a young mother
homesteading with a handsome family man
approved of by My Mother
having Our Babies*
before & soon after Her Death
–
I am an “older” woman now
reviewing two marriages
children grown
houses changed with assorted cats
& somehow I am happy
not too far from My Own Mind
*one who was aborted on March 27, 1997
The Tomato-coloured Couch 6:42pm
an elderly blond nurse
put Me in My Pyjamas
from My Wedding Trousseau
and as She thought I had laid down
to “settle”
I surprised Her
by popping up to declare:
“Wait A Minute –“
but what was that
I was thinking?
I didn’t say —
The Hawk Deck 11:35am
“We know that Two Planes
ran into The World Trade Center —
what else is true
We do not know”*
— overtaken by My Father
lumbering up the stairs
to My Shower
squishing used bars of soap together
His Noxema & Sensodyne
were not so innocent —
but That was only His Ghost
telling Me He was in cahoots
with The Muslims
in Riyadh
when He lived over there
for 25 years
before having lunch @ Windows On The World
with Guy Tozzoli & Me
where no mention whatsoever
was made of My
*quote from WHB
The Tomato-coloured Couch 7:15pm
I have traded in
My Thick Grey Robe
for dark grey Simon Chang pants
a white sweat shirt
with Star Man Pin
at My Throat
Nike sneakers
(I did check the mail)
all the better
to meet My Husband
when He comes Home
after 9:11
The Tomato-coloured Couch 5:15pm
Dr Blair has a modern house
keeping A New York City Artist
next to the sea shore
She dances to Radioactive in Her Bathrobe
drinking a beer
& talking on the phone
out on The Hawk Deck
where She wonders if Her Voice
carries
Joanna Gilman Hyde 