THE APPARITION
The Hawk Queen Bed 4:38pm
Today on 2 hrs sleep
from 2 mgs Ativan
I began the sculpted head
of My Beautiful Dark Haired Woman
Who appeared on My Right Shoulder
in Roseway Hospital
October 1993
–
She said a lullaby in My Ear —
the most melodious voice I had ever heard
and today I have swaddled a Styrofoam core
in thin slices of plasticine
hyperventilating as I went
hearing My Son’s suggestion
from yesterday’s walk on The Hawk Beach —
“Mom, why don’t You just
exhaust Your Self?”
every slice
from a red-handled knife My Brother gave Me
pushed Me on to panel the form —
My Goal was to cover it, and I did
after carving HTWH in the Styrofoam skull
resting on My Ceramic Bluenose Plate
My Keepsake from the childhood crossings
in that vessel from Bar Harbor, Maine
to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
when I was so happy
with My Little Family
of Mother, Brother and Me
Joanna Gilman Hyde 