Oh Luminous Cloud —
am I the only One Who sees You?
I watched Your Golden Aura fade
& then The Moon peeked out
from underneath
Your Grey Companions
The Hawk West Desk Window 9:45pm
Today I have a deal
to sell My Mother’s Grave
That Place She Loved So Dear
is going off to a professional couple
with twelve children
between Them
I am casting off My Mother’s Houses
I just opened the cupboard door under the sink
here at The Hawk
to dry My Hands on a non-existent towel there
thinking I was in The Shakespeare House
momentarily
but I’m not — that House
went in September 2011
& I am left with The Island
ready to go at the full asking price
by This Friday —
how many dish towel memories
do I have there?
The Hawk West Desk Window 8:00am
There’s a Picture somewhere
of My Mother’s outboard The Molly
resting at anchor in a pool of faded pink
It must be down in the basement
here at The Hawk
what will I think
when I see It again?
The Hawk Portico 3:00pm
The Waves Today Remind Me
of Children Playing
uneven in Their Tumult
sporadic in Their Breaking
–
Yes, I have read of The Accident
but My Observations
were gathered
beforehand
The Hawk West Desk Window 8:00am
It’s Time I Said Good-Bye
to My Mother
right from where I stand Today
I will not be going out to The Island
with The Alternative Energy Tech —
My Daughter will go in My Stead —
I can rely on Eliza
as My Mother relied on Me —
I will not be going down memory lane
to The Thoreau House in the woods
built by My Mother’s Perfect Son-in-law
I will not be going There —
I will not be sweeping up dead flies
in My Mother’s Island House —
I swept the flies there alone once
when I was 18 — Eliza’s age —
to open The Place for My Mother’s arrival —
Today Eliza will be readying for a prospective buyer
& I will not be walking down to The Lower Orchard
to visit My Mother’s Limestone Squirrel
perched on Her Granite Marker —
Today I Stand in Eliza’s Corner Room upstairs
Here At The Hawk
& gaze upon The Panorama of Sun’s Rays
filtering down on My Atlantic Home
The Hawk Bedroom 8:30am
I was That Child
exclaiming as I came through The Gate
of My Grandmother’s Jordan Bay Garden:
“Granmama — You have the most beautiful garden
in The Whole Wide World –”
exclaiming with feigned delight
because I knew
how much I could please Her
The Hawk Family Room 6:25pm
Hey, I Black Jesus
I Five year Ol’
My Girl Fren Beat Me Up
today I ax Her
do She have titties
Bitch say Yes
but She My Age
She din show Me none
Barrington Passage 1:40pm
“Mamma–
I’m tellin’ on Black Jesus —
He make Me sick
in Ma Stomack —
We wuz frenz —
now We ain’t —
I don’ like Black Jesus
no mo’
I don’ like Him”
Joanna Gilman Hyde 