The Hawk Queen Bed 9:22am
I PUSHED THE CERAMIC HEAD
I MADE
OF A DARK HAIRED LADY
HELD UP IN A DREAM
TO THE BACK SIDE OF A THIN OLD GYP-ROCK WALL
I PUSHED HER FRONTAL FEATURES FIRST
ALL THE WAY THROUGH
TO HER INTRICATE HAIR LINE
SO THAT THE PATTERN OF HER FACE
EMERGED FROM THE CRUMBLE
ON THE OTHER SIDE
WHERE MY DAUGHTER WAS STANDING
TO RECEIVE HER
INTACT
The Hawk Kitchen 9:14am
Can You be In Love with The Spirit
of a Child?
What stops You as He
approaches 25 years of age
& You finally decide
to throw out
His First Bathtub Toy
set on a block of concrete
for the garbage men to pick up?
The West Desk Window 9:00pm
This Evening My Daughter drove off
with Her Boyfriend Tyler
against a backdrop of sunset
gold & amethyst
like My Mother’s antique ring
worn by Eliza for the first time
— She asked if She could wear It —
said She would keep It
in a blue velvet box at night
& that They’d be back from Halifax
on Sunday
The Hawk Kitchen 10:22am
I see My Rings stacked
up on the tail
of a ceramic cat
poised at My Kitchen Sink:
My Big ? Ring
& My Wedding Rings
Hunter bought Me years ago
eyed by My Daughter
from Time To Time
— I know She would love an engagement ring
from Her Very Serious Boyfriend
& if She got one
would that assure Me
She would not be as promiscuous
as I was?
Would She be as happy
as She could be
& for how long?
–
With The World Waiting For Her
at such a young age
could She be
a Cape Island House Wife?
Though isn’t that what I am —
secure in My Maturity
happy in My Place?
I would have broken Communion
with You with Your Name
on a maple-frosted cookie
on sale from No Frills
up in My Dark-creviced Bedroom
away from My Family —
I would have broken through
The Lie of Christmas symbolized
as The Literal Snow Job
fertility rite within the broken wreath — egg
with a lying elf responsible
for any materialistic answer
coming — ejaculating
down The Vagina Chimney
to lay out His Wares
at a triangular bush with stars
— The Heavens —
all over It
I would have broken through
The Myth of Our Making
with You
on a cookie
but I was
ashamed
“I’m going into Barrington with Tyler”
“What for?”
“To watch The Fireworks at The Tree Lighting
— look what I’m wearing –“
“Let Me get My Glasses”
“My Burberry Scarf — don’t I look cute?
I look like a rich girlfriend
Who gets lots of nice
things”
The West Desk Window 9:45am
I am experiencing Separation Anxiety
from The Selling
of My Mother’s Island House
She’s possessed for 50 Years —
in the cloak of The Shower
I cling all the harder
to The Little Man
while My Doctor/Husband
prescribes Ativan
The West Desk Window 8:45am
I have put My Daughter’s Name
above Her
on the wall @ The Head of Her Bed
The Name is Mine
in photographs of My Rooftop Painting
within Her Reach
The Tomato-coloured Couch 4:15pm
Last Night I packed up
the back of My Ford Escape
with cartons of dishes from The Shakespeare House
unopened
Eliza’s portable crib & baby blankets
from 18 years ago
My Grandmother’s Singer Sewing Machine
from 50 years ago
2 very good twin mattress pads
from when My Children visited Me —
Their Floral Comforters went yesterday too
along with My Fantasy Bed Set
composed of A Christmas Quilt
& Bright Red Sheets —
They went to My Kind-hearted
Social Worker Friend
Who told me She found A Little Man
made out of aluminium foil
somewhere within the folds
Joanna Gilman Hyde 