The Hawk West Desk Window 8:11pm
By this time tomorrow
We’ll have a chorus of cat bells
around the necks of five nude cats
(one hunter has two bells already)
after the fact
of one tiny yellow bird leg
a gut the size of a dime
and three yellow feathers
left by Somebody
on My Sacred Deck
The Hawk Kitchen Outpost 6:14pm
I missed the cutest waddle
of a mother duck and Her Ducklings
crossing The Hawk Road
while I was zooming
sleep-deprived
to get to The Little Store —
I swerved to avoid the adorable clutch
and got mad at My Self
but not mad enough to slow down
in time to take in
the rare amusement
of Their very serious venture
The West Desk Window 11:25am
Eliza’s lovely little room
was an assignment
for Me to sleep
and By God I slept —
I slept and woke —
woke and slept and dreamed
and tossed off My Love Ring Quilt
and watched The Sun emerge
from The Eastern Waters —
I listened to the early birds
the crows and gulls
and song birds
and yes, the funny funny Rooster
I watched The Sun hit
the wall by the door
and now I am out of there
I have returned to My Husband
and The Cats —
the old dilapidated comforter
the mismatched sheets
and the open window to The West
The Hawk Deck 1:50pm
What Does It Mean
To Be A Bird?
Not Just That You
Can Fly —
You can take care of Your Self —
feed Your Self & Your Young —
(though not Your Young if You’re a Cow Bird)
preen Your Self & bathe
stretch Your Wings & Your Claw Feet
fluff up Your Glistening Feathers & bow
Exclaim from Your Perch —
Yes, Exclaim
in Your God-given Voice
that You are Happy
To Be Alive
Eliza’s Room 5:45am
Oh where does My Cow Bird go
when He goes to sleep?
I have seen Him take His Lunch
from a neighbour’s feeding station —
I check His Return
to My Side Mirror
faithfully listening
for His Watery Warble and Squeak
The Hawk Window Seat 8:25am
My Cow Bird is back
perched on My Car Window
in front of His Mirror
bowing to Himself
as He fluffs up His Plumage
tail out-spread
while letting loose
His delightedly watery chirp
The Hawk Deck 10:01am
As A Child
the call of The Wild Blue Jay
signified to Me
I had My Whole Life Ahead —
when I hear Him now
I am informed:
“Joanna, You have
Your Whole Life
Bestowed”
The Hawk Deck 7:19am
EYE have been held in a trance
by The Birds, The Rooster
Their Song on The Air
The Silver on The Sea
and My Successful Adjustment
to the sleepless effect
of going off My anti-psychotic medication
four days ago
The Hawk Deck 8:40am
In the early to mid morning
the domestic call of The Rooster
cackles through The Scrub Spruce
from one road over
& delights My Humour mixed
with the wild clucking
of Our Local Bird Life
I so dearly love
The East Side of The Hawk House 10:56am
EYE have heard The Call
of The Brown-headed Cow Bird
perched upon M(EYE) car mirror
He is the very essence
of falling droplets
and His Liquid Melody
plop plop
excuses His Actions!!
Joanna Gilman Hyde 