The Tomato-coloured Couch 4:45pm
I could paint on the floor
on raw canvas
on the concrete floor of Hunter’s soon-to-be Library
& sell My Paintings
for $10,000 each
–
6:42pm
I’ve taken to making bread
kneading the dough with My Left Hand
holding the bowl with My Right
against a cushioned wrought-iron Ottoman
positioned between My Knees
like an Alewife
The Hawk Kitchen 1:45pm
I have My Real Kitchen Witch now:
The Ceramic Head of My Dark Haired Woman
baked in High School Art Class
when Her Face fell off
Miss Hues helped Me fit Her Forehead, Chin
Right Eye & Cheek, Left Eye & Cheek
back together, glazed & glued
now to watch over Me
— halo hat intact —
above My Kitchen Corner Cupboard
as if Her Body is There contained
The Hawk Dining Room 10:38pm
Lil’ Miss Joanna Banana
carried Her Bunch of Bananas
to the front check-out at Sobey’s
but only One Line was open
& It was full
Lil’ Joanna Banana was in a hurry
so She thought of The Other Store
& put The Bunch back
(She thought of stealing a single banana for breakfast
but Lil’ Miss Joanna Banana was too honest)
She exited Sobey’s in Her 2004 Escape
& drove to Martin’s No Frills
where His Logo is a Bunch of Bananas
so Lil’ Joanna Banana picked out a bunch
(& One to eat in The Car)
She didn’t have to wait at the check-out
She clutched Her Bunch
against Her Dressy Knee-length Black Spring Coat
and walked along The Front
of The Yellow & Black
Store Front
The West Desk Window 9:55pm
when I was a child
I had a fantasy
of getting locked inside
a grocery store
overnight
free to eat anything my heart desired
& do you know what I picked?
I picked apple sauce
The Tomato-coloured Couch 6:33pm
How not to change lives & still sleep
in 3 easy steps:
1) Buy 22 Bars of Silver & lock Them in The Bank
2) Don’t buy a funny-shaped House on The Hawk
to rent to Kristine Zoodedoo
or Hunter’s Secretary
Who said She would move to The Hawk
like a tornado
3a) Don’t ask Your Daughter repeatedly
for Her Opinion on kitchen design features
3b) Eat left-over macaroni
& drink plenty of water out of the tap
of Your Tawdry Fridge
The Hawk West Desk Window January 7th 10:55pm
The Swimming Pools of Dallas
shone like American Indian Turquoise Necklaces
strung around the kind of Suburbia
I would never see as clearly from the ground
as I could see from My Graduate’s Plane
taking Me across the Midlands of The US
to meet a man with whom I had barely corresponded
to find His Bed available
but attached by The String:
“You would be any man’s desire but
I’m saving My Self for Marriage”
The Hawk Dining Room 2:22pm
In My Sleep This Morning
One Line came to Me
but I was too tired
to write It down:
“My Love Is As Deep As An Unsung Well”
Here It Is Penned
At This Time
while I spoon My Christmas Turkey Soup
out of a big black cup
The Hawk West Desk Window 10:55pm
We live in The Era Coming
where there is no such thing as “Mental Illness”
no need for Psychiatrists
They can go home
no need for catalogues, labels, DSM volumes
or medication (except for sleep)
We Are Human All
behaving as Humans
within Our vast array of possibility
Our Observations
are based on fundamental perception
and based on Our interpretation of perception
within Its vast array of possibility
GOOD NIGHT
Joanna Gilman Hyde 