Joanna Gilman Hyde

"Good Morning, World!"

Tag: existence

7:20am GREETING

The Hawk Window Seat 8:30am

I watched for The sun

along the glowing horizon

& when It sparked, It bounced

& shouted out, “Good Morning!”

WATERCOLOUR SUNSET

The Hawk West Desk Window 7:12pm

I painted once

a watercolour sunset

& wrote on the back

“This could be a cover

for The New Yorker

I gave it to My First Husband

Who put it in His Parents’ attic

Yet tonight I saw My Painting

in real life

out My West Desk Window

in the sky beyond The Cape

edged below by the silhouetted dunes

bathed above by the astonishing pink

I had tried to capture

22nd ANNIVERSARY

The Hawk Deck 10:40am

22nd Anniversary of My Mother’s Brain Tumour Diagnosis

I live in a place

where women wear Their Robes

until noon

where cats meander across

other people’s lawns

where The Fall Sun

allows You a final stipend

of sitting on The Deck

where You reflect on a past

You know now

is gone

 

TEENAGER’S LAMENT

The Hawk West Desk Window 7:38am

A Teenager’s Lament to His Mother:

“You had Me believe in Santa Claus

You had Me believe in The Easter Bunny

Now You ask Me to believe in God?”

EMBRYONIC ABSORPTION

The Hawk Dining Room 3:53pm

I rest My Chin

in The Child’s Posture

between My Fists

I contemplate The Greyness

of My Ocean

It’s All Mine

nobody

can steal It

away

I

will

hold

It

to

Me

within My Veins

within My Flesh

within My Insides

I Am The Salt

I Am The Water

I Am Here

in The Child’s Stance

GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN

The Hawk West Desk Window 10:22am

I am wearing the colour of vulnerability

is it still the colour of surrender?

I stand in the bathroom mirror

& look at My Self — Dual Citizen

a representative of North America

in LL Bean Blue Jeans

& white sweat shirt

Grey Star at My Neck

Diamond Rings blaze on both My Hands

What do I stand for?

Canadian/US Citizen

on guard

for

Thee

NIGHT VISION

The Hawk Queen Bed 9:40pm

When I close My Eyes at Night

I can see the generational sprays

of light

in My Field of Vision

Which is spherical

& ever-moving

SUNDAY ON THE HAWK

The Hawk Portico 4:22pm

On one of these rare days

in early Fall

so still

I’ve decided to stay

on The Hawk

instead of driving to Barrington

for a walk

on The Trail

while Hunter rows —

I cannot miss

this outdoor treat

of sitting in My Red Deck Chair

with My Front Door open

to The Sounds of My Daughter

readying in the kitchen

for tonight’s drive

back to

College

What Is The Meaning Of Life?

The Hawk Deck 11:22am

Take away The Question

what do You have

That Which Is

all around You

in front of Your Blazing Eyes

at the touch of Your Sticky Fingers

at the smell of Your Pristine Nose

at the lure of Your Thankful Ears

at the taste of Your Capable Tongue

The Meaning is in Your Voice

in Your Gesture

in Your Mind

MY SILENCE

The Hawk Portico 5:30pm

I have heard Silence

as if for the first time

but It was immediately washed over

by the sounds of birds, familiar

& waves, less so, but distinct —

in The Birds I hear My Childhood

— a signal to My Bearings now —

in The Waves I hear

cessation of endless thinking

The Call

to try & sleep

as delivered by My Own Private God

on My Right-hand Shoulder:

“You know The Meaning Of Life

& so You are A Star —

so go

to

Sleep”