Joanna Gilman Hyde

"Good Morning, World!"

Tag: childhood

STRENGTH

The Tomato-coloured Couch 6:32pm

My First Incarnation

was as a sperm, strong

pointed

My Second was as a zygote

settled, growing

My Third was embryonic

at sea, close

My Fourth was as The Newborn Infant

face lifted to Mother

My Fifth was as The Astute Girl

Who wowed adults

and wanted to be a ballet dancer

My Sixth was as The Teenager

Who wanted to be a helicopter pilot

and do art on the side

Then I grew, focused, into A Young Woman

Who wanted to live in Nova Scotia

and married a man who would take Her there

to be near Her Mother

Her Mother Who Died

and left The Incarnation

of The Spirit

from Which The Flesh had

sprung

The Ghost In The Gallery

The Hawk West Desk Window 8:45pm

Once there was A Little Girl

Whose Mother died before

She was born — She was not scared —

She saw a Shower of Silver Blades

of Light

Four Days Later

It bestowed upon Her The Conviction

of The Existence of God

Twenty One Years Later

The Little Girl made A Gallery

of paintings of Her Mother

along with paintings The Little Girl

had painted Her Self —

She spent Many Hours hanging Her Gallery

down in The Basement

until One Night She & Her Daughter

— Her Daughter was Nineteen —

watched as a photograph of Her Mother’s Island

fell from Its hook

just when The Daughter was asking

“Was that when Your Mother Died?”

No more pictures were hung

except that one —

in a different place —

and The Daughter & The Little Girl

became the best of friends

and grew up together

The End

THE EVOCATION OF MY MOTHER

The Tomato-coloured Couch 7:18pm

In My First Year

She took Me to Africa to meet Dr Schweitzer

for Him to hold Me

forever in a black and white photograph

hanging here in My Dining Room —

how could He have known

I would have The Shower Of Silver

Blades Of Light

which would turn Me

into What I am

Today:

A Woman Who Wishes

Only The Best

For This New World?

SEEDS OF LIFE IN A DISTANT FLOCK OF BIRDS

The Hawk Window Seat 2:44pm

I Took My Shower

@ 2:22

I Was in There

For Untold Minutes, Hours, Days

I Am Still There

Rubbing My Eyes

Like A Child

Who Sees The Spray

Of The Universe

THIS BOOK IS BLACK

The Hawk Queen Bed 9:40pm

This Book Is Black

and I am waiting to be born

out of The Murky Red

into The Light

afforded All Of Humanity

allowed to live

This Book Is Black

and I will come out

to Speak My Name

and be caressed

not by The Hand Of God

but by The Human Hand

of My Mother

This Book Is Black

and I will grow

to protect My Spirit

and when I die

I will be born again

into The Space

occupied by the width

and breadth

of My Mind

It Will Be Bright

My Future Will Be

Forever Bright

THE TUB

The Tomato-coloured Couch 5:27pm

I stepped into My Shower

@ 2:22

to wash just My Self

(not My Hair)

under the spray

I stood looking down

at My White Surroundings

& found My Self

The Child again

naked in the hand-worked cement

of a Snedens Landing pool

built by My Father’s Father

where I looked for Inchworms

& tried to see Their Eyes

LITTLE RHYME

The Tomato-coloured Couch 7:20pm

The Fall Of Joanna Gilman Hyde

Has Been My Greatest Climb

I’ve Found The Words I’ve Needed To Use

& Boy I’ve Made Them Chime

 

note: Death of Mother, Elizabeth Walden Hyde, March 27th, 1993

 

CONJUNCTION

The Tomato-coloured Couch 5:50pm

I’m having a flash-back

back to when I was in

My Mother’s Womb — I knew then

I’d be a stocky blond

in red sneakers & a white gym suit

on The Roof of # 5 World Trade Center

& grow up to marry well

twice-over —

I knew then I would harbour

within the duration of My Existence

a pulling enticement

which when met

would give birth

to the ultimate contraction

between

young & old

&

I would live & die

in

one

moment

WITH COMPLIMENTS FROM 1979

The Tomato-coloured Couch 2:50pm

I’m still That Teenager

reliable

brawny

baby-sitter

paper-girl

proper student

bound to be a helicopter pilot

artist-on-the-side

My Weakness was My Eyesight

but I kept My Sights set on Nova Scotia

where I have ended up

making grilled cheese sandwiches

served with a pickle

for My Second Husband

when He’s home

from The Office

I snagged

along with

The Man

THE HAWK LIVING ROOM 8:25pm

The Tomato-coloured Couch 8:25pm

My Parents have never seen this room

or been anywhere near it —

They’re dead

& I’m glad

so I can enjoy The Rain

on The Skylights

& The Fog Horn

on The Cape

alone

& grown up