I am waiting in The Fog
with audible surf
and the occasional call
from a sea bird
–
waiting for The World
to collapse
but I somehow doubt It will:
The World is like A Very Strong Mother–
She may lie down for a nap
but always fixes supper
She may live in Her Bathrobe
yet maintains Her Modesty
She cleans when She feels like it
and gets Her Children to clean up
after Themselves
–
She loves everybody in Her House
Her Home is Her Sanctuary
She Is Her Own World
MY KITTY
Astro Jasper Cosmo
is My Big Black Panther —
The Biggest Black Panther —
The Biggest, Hugest, Sleekest
Most Beautifulest Black Panther
in The Whole Wide World
to come out of
The Wilds of The Hawk
–w’ de cute l’il vampire toofies–
He’s My Super Cat
I Love Him
Snow White & Black Jesus
went out to a beach
for a picnic
They ate peanut butter
& jelly
& threw the crusts
to The Gulls
They held hands along
The Breaking Surf
They made love
in The Sand
–
Snow White went back to Her Cottage
but Black Jesus had no home
He stayed on The Shore
& waited for Snow White
to come out & play
But She Didn’t Come
–
The next Day it rained
but Black Jesus waited
He got drenched
but all He could think about
was Snow White
& so He waited
The Sky cleared partially
& He saw a Rainbow
He ran up to Snow White’s Cottage
& alerted Her to what He saw
She said, “Thank You Black Jesus —
You Can Come In Now
I Love You”
He My L’il Brown Nugget Head
He Mine
I Love ‘im ’till de Day
I Die
He Die b’fo Me
I Love de Memory
I Love ‘im
’till I Die
He Mines
He Mines
He My L’il Brown Nugget Head
I placed My Bejewelled Left Arm
upon the cushion of My Sofa
The Left Hand of Which
became My Grandmother’s–
The Hand My Mother Saw
in a tree
The Night My Grandmother Died
It was a lawn I mowed
in a peach bikini
when I was sixteen
now covered over with blackberry brambles
thigh high
up to the open front door
no longer entered
–
It was My Grandparents’ summer house
yellow & white
with yellow & orange roses climbing
with nasturtiums on the entry deck
vegetable garden by the sea
where parsley grew
& where My Grandmother sent Me
to pick a few sprigs for Our Supper
on The Sun Porch
2 days ago
I dreamt of My Daughter
age 4
in a Red Velvet Dress
running across a field
to Me
laughing
I called out to a nearby friend
“I Made Her
including untidy & rude–”
Scooped Up My Beloved Child
& Kissed Her Red Left Cheek
–
Today I Hand Wash
Her Teenage Underwear
I Straighten Out Her Thongs
Hang Up Her Red Bra
On The Laundry Rack
To Dry In The Sun
“I Heard A Bird Fly,”
declared an astonished visitor
to My Mother’s Island House
when I was eleven years old.
–
July 23rd 2012
I Live In The Land of Spirituality–
if I lie in My Bed
on the verge of depression
I am in Error
for I am eternally, rightfully happy
on My Deck or Portico
with Hunter and Eliza and The Cats
and The Birds.
Joanna Gilman Hyde 