The Tomato-coloured Couch 11:47am
How many galaxies
have I picked up
blown into corners
of My Universe —
how many have I created
wiping up cat hairs
off The Kitchen Ottoman
or The Thick Grey Bath Mat
turned inside My Toilet Bowl
and scrubbed hairless
with a wet cloth?
The Hawk West Desk Window 10:46am
I am convinced
that God is Woman —
the more I clean My House
or try to —
the more galaxies I create
the more black holes I fill
& the more germs
rather than eliminate
I choose to live with —
I am convinced
The Tomato-coloured Couch 12:22pm
After My Shower
I reached for A Star
floating mid-way
between My Cathedral Ceiling
& The Damnable Floor
I jumped with My Left Arm up
scared a cat
& missed
& had to resort
to the dust
mop
The Hawk Kitchen Outpost 1:45pm
I’ve done enough
of sweeping up galaxies —
it’s an endless task
organizing, compiling known particles
of cat hair, cat food crumbs
specks of kitty litter, the occasional claw point
not to mention Heaven’s Dust
heavy in My House —
“Out Damn Spot!”
The Tomato-coloured Couch 4:00pm
I have a crowded secret
in My Heart:
something I threw out
in My fire-burning
desire for ridding
The World of that
deemed garbage by Me
something as simple
as a moulded glass dish
with matching lid
— too small to be bothered with —
held momentarily
in My Frantic Hand
I let it go
into the 39th trash bag
The Hawk West Desk Window 12:15pm
Two Jehovah’s Witnesses
knocked on My Side Door
while I was mopping upstairs
& tried to get Me
to believe in Satan
but I would have none of it:
“I give The Devil no credence”
They said, “So You believe Mankind is responsible
for all the bad things?”
I said, “In part, but I believe
in The Reconciliation of Opposites”
“What’s That?”
I told Them I wanted to get back
to My Cleaning
The Tomato-coloured Couch 1:00pm
Men don’t generally
pick lint & cat hairs
off of stuff
–
No kitty-litter leavings
get swept off the couch
by a male tidying hand
–
I’ve just put out cheese & crackers
for a new potential girlfriend
& lit a candle for Her
on My coffee table
Would a heterosexual man
have done the same?
The Hawk Kitchen 5:45pm
OK, I’ve had it
with this star-quality house dust
blanketing every dark surface
in My Maid-free Home —
I see The Night Sky
on My Kitchen Radio
shaped like an alien’s head
& crumbs of cat treats
in the Milky Way
of My New Kitchen Floor
The West Desk Window 11:00am
The New Floors Are Down
without The Moulding Yet —
Hunter’s Library Is Finished
without Books
Wing Chair
& Grand Father’s Desk
I Am Frozen
In My Writing —
I recall One Social Worker
ten years ago
Make The Pronouncement
that To Stay Clean
Some People Keep Busy
or was that
To Stay Busy
Some People Clean?
I turned on The Water
in what’s called Eliza’s Shower
& unbuttoned My LL Bean Rose Striped Linen Shirt
in The Mirror, Eliza’s Mirror
& took off My Grey Capris
which I have to throw out
because My Husband told Me
They go up The Crack of My Butt
I took off My Underwear
& tossed It in Eliza’s Laundry Basket
I took off My Unwieldy Bra
& hung It on a doorknob
How Long Is This Poem Going To Be?
I looked at My Body’s Profile
& decided if I look fat
I am probably about to get My Period
–
I stepped in behind The Curtain
The Stall was dirty
I put cleanser on a cleaning rag
I cleaned while The Spray was on Me
& rinsed The Tub
My Hair Was Wet
I squeezed out some Nizoral
Red In My Left Hand
& lathered My Hair
The Directions advise to leave It in
for 3-5 minutes
so I stepped back out
to look at My Watch
It told Me I was in The Twenty-second minute
OH! That’s When I Cleaned The Tub!
I cleaned The Tub & then Me
& rinsed My Hair
& got out
I towelled off in a clean towel
& took My Clothes
back to My Room
to put on Different Clothes
& Do You Know What I Put On?
I put on Black Underwear
My Black Push-up Bra
Black LL Bean Capris w/ Comfort Waist
Black Tank
Silver Earrings
Wedding Rings
Quartz Crystal & Diamond Question Mark Ring
& My Ladies Bulova Open-heart Watch
I bought for My Self
Joanna Gilman Hyde 