Joanna Gilman Hyde

"Good Morning, World!"

Tag: 9/11 artist

WHAT IS MY PREMISE?

Did God create The Dragonfly

to fly out of nymph-hood Today

of All Days?

Or has The Dragonfly created Itself

over eons

to emerge from arbitrary randomness?

I have been answered

by swarms of midges

screaming out to Me

for recognition

NOON IN THE REAL WORLD

I just woke from a Gravol-induced Dream:

Out on a brick terrace

I was being interviewed

by a Keith Haring Type

about My Life so far

& My Artistic Intentions

Suddenly I Stood Up

wearing a long white billowy robe

I declared —

“THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO”

I walked over to a vacant section

& The Keith Haring Guy said “I Know —

You Want To SAVE”

I turned to Him & explained “No —

that word has been overused —

I have a lot of problems with that word

which I wont go into now.  This

is what I want to do — ”

I raised My Arms up to the tree limbs

& sky above Me & I began to spin

I spun so fast, faster and faster

that I became a spinning top

as I chanted:  Organize Organize Organize

until I felt I was turning into a Gyroscope

The first definition of the verb to Organize

in My Mother’s 1971 Random House Dictionary:

1.  to form as or into a whole

consisting of interdependent or coordinated

parts, esp. for harmonious or united action.

MIDNIGHT IN THE REAL WORLD

We’re in a Maelstrom

of bad ideas

overworked secretaries

& lives We don’t call

Our Own

ON THE WAY TO YARMOUTH

My Birthday is The Same Day

as Stephen Harper’s

I’m 3 months older

than Obama

This Is No Coincidence

My Name Is

Joanna Gilman Hyde

I AM YOUR BLACK JESUS

I have on My Daughter’s Black Kicks

My Mother’s Silver Nugget Ring

My Heart is Red

My Skin is White

& I Am Female

Dual Citizen of  The West:

Half American — Half Canadian

I Will Run Forever

To Be Caught By One

Tiny Little Man

yet to emerge

as My Biggest Half

Loblaws Inc.

Country of Origin:  China

NG Item #:  176888

Description:  TGF2FW8468  Molded Beanboot

CTN. QTY Master:  12 PR

Carton #  915 (inked in) of 4884

UPC Code #  10057846044405

THE HAWK DECK WAVES 4:50

The Waves have died down now

cats are quarrelling

I am ready to Annunciate My Self

to become, to say

I am whatever You want

Me to be —

I can fill any role

but know that within My Role

& Yours

I am true

I am true to My Self

I am true to The World

& We will go farther

than far

together

THE HAWK DECK WAVES 1:25

Who Says There Is God?

“I do!  I do!”

But How Do You Know For Sure?

“A Shower of Silver Lights

fell down on My Head”

When Did This Happen?

“March 31st, 1993

in the town of Shelburne Nova Scotia”

What was Your Reaction?

“I was The Second Coming of Christ”

Do You Think The Same Way Now

Nearly Twenty Years Later?

“Well, I don’t want to be linked

to any established religions

but I think I have ideas

about God & Humanity

whose Time Has Come”

Like What Sorts of Ideas?

“Primarily that God & Humanity are one

& that Human Life

which has no beginning and no end

but which can be measured at Conception & Death

is Sacred”

I’M INSIDE A GOD DAMN F–ING FAIRY TALE

The Waves are merely seductive

They’re keeping Me here

on The Deck

or in The Bedroom with windows open

Last Night I yelled to My Perturbed Husband

I might not write again —

I might go babbling My Head off

whenever & wherever I felt like It —

saying anything I feel

& if I get carted away by The Police

I would just say “Sorry Officer —

I choose to write verbally

& My Delivery is NOT SEDUCTIVE”

CHAPTERS

I found My Voice

in Chapters today

rising from the Well–Being section

 

My Voice was heard

above a wall of five stacks

–counted for My Husband–

demanding

“What Does Well–Being

MEAN?”

THE VALLEY COTTAGE PORCH

I was That Girl

in a red terry tank top

no bra

gold medallion around My Neck

hair piled upon My Head

legs crossed, long & tan

My Saucy Smile

won My Man

I was eighteen there

& piped the dream

“Living In Nova Scotia”

here — now — on My Deck

in My Brand New LL Beans

belted, shirt tucked in

breasts in place

expecting Peak

& Hunter & maybe Eliza

for Nachos

THE SHOWER

I turned on The Water

in what’s called Eliza’s Shower

& unbuttoned My LL Bean Rose Striped Linen Shirt

in The Mirror, Eliza’s Mirror

& took off My Grey Capris

which I have to throw out

because My Husband told Me

They go up The Crack of My Butt

I took off My Underwear

& tossed It in Eliza’s Laundry Basket

I took off My Unwieldy Bra

& hung It on a doorknob

How Long Is This Poem Going To Be?

I looked at My Body’s Profile

& decided if I look fat

I am probably about to get My Period

I stepped in behind The Curtain

The Stall was dirty

I put cleanser on a cleaning rag

I cleaned while The Spray was on Me

& rinsed The Tub

My Hair Was Wet

I squeezed out some Nizoral

Red In My Left Hand

& lathered My Hair

The Directions advise to leave It in

for 3-5 minutes

so I stepped back out

to look at My Watch

It told Me I was in The Twenty-second minute

OH!  That’s When I Cleaned The Tub!

I cleaned The Tub & then Me

& rinsed My Hair

& got out

I towelled off in a clean towel

& took My Clothes

back to My Room

to put on Different Clothes

& Do You Know What I Put On?

I put on Black Underwear

My Black Push-up Bra

Black LL Bean Capris w/ Comfort Waist

Black Tank

Silver Earrings

Wedding Rings

Quartz Crystal & Diamond Question Mark Ring

& My Ladies Bulova Open-heart Watch

I bought for My Self