The Tomato-coloured Couch 2:15pm
I do not wonder at My Father’s Death —
how It was for Him
as I wonder at My Mother’s
My Father may have been asleep —
He died in the night
as far as I know
but My Mother was wide, wide
awake
& blazed Her Eyes open
except for one torturous blink
which opened back up
in Her Last Guttural Heave
The Hawk West Desk Window 5:00pm
lately I’ve had a twitching
in My Lower Left Eye Lid
— just looked in a mirror —
It’s really there — twitching away
— think It’s trying to tell Me something —
I have Left-headed Pulsations too
which make Me stop
— think of what I’m thinking —
should I get on The Digby Ferry
drive to Vermont
— retrieve My Manuscript —
if It’s still there
to be found in My Step-mother’s
Old Farm House
buried under heaps of papers
— somewhere —
in My Dead Father’s Room?
The Hawk Family Room 4:44pm
According to My Perception
There Is No Such Thing
as an “illness”
Schizophrenia
The Schizophrenia Society is barking
up the wrong tree —
when My Brother received
His “diagnosis” at 21
that was the end of His Free Thinking
His Creative Mind Had Gone As Far
as society would let It —
at My Insistence
that My Brother didn’t “have” schizophrenia
My Father Francy declared:
“Well, Howard certainly has Something“
Yes, He Had A Creative Human Mind Influenced
By His Unique Perception
I want My Daddy
to come tuck Me in
— My Real Daddy who wasn’t Real
He’s Dead —
I want My WHB
to tuck Me in
with His Soft Words
& careful careful touch —
I’ve taken My Pills
2 Hours in advance
of Bedtime
Joanna Gilman Hyde 