March 31st, 2014 Valley Regional Hospital, NS 5:32pm
Just let Me set here awhile
& let it all soak in —
let Me look at the mesh of the curtain
& remember The Flashes —
let Me hear My Mother-in-law breathing
under a heated blanket
& I will set & tell You
The Story with
no
end
The Hawk Queen Bed 9:57pm
I live a life
of comparative luxury
with My Weight
on My Left Hip
& My Right Ankle relaxed
while I peel off
My Mother’s Silver Bangles
ancient ring of gold & amethyst
I’m not rich — yet —
but I expect to be
in This Lifetime
in the meantime
I eat frugally
& engage in a very limited
society of friends
The Hawk Corner Room 5:38pm
Today I have seen The Face
of A Dear Boy, A Soulful Man
behind a wall of glass
as He rose to Meet Me
His is The Face
I am Reading, Reaching
to Touch His Expectant Eyes
to Hug His Hopeful Frame
to Hear His Questioning Words
Sincerely Conversant as I sit beside
Him, The Embodiment
of Our Purpose
The Hawk West Desk Window 3:50pm
The World No Longer Waits
For Me
I Am Here
Bearing Us On
My Broadened Shoulders
My Booted Feet
Braced Against Frozen Ground
As I Carry Every Loose
Timber To The Pile
Of Lumber Not For Burning
But For Building
The Hawk Queen Bed 9:40pm
This Book Is Black
and I am waiting to be born
out of The Murky Red
into The Light
afforded All Of Humanity
allowed to live
–
This Book Is Black
and I will come out
to Speak My Name
and be caressed
not by The Hand Of God
but by The Human Hand
of My Mother
–
This Book Is Black
and I will grow
to protect My Spirit
and when I die
I will be born again
into The Space
occupied by the width
and breadth
of My Mind
It Will Be Bright
My Future Will Be
Forever Bright
The Tomato-coloured Couch 6:55pm
I live a privileged life
with a daughter in The Caribbean
& a son out West —
My Family is taken care of
& I am secure in My Wind-proof House
with seven well-fed cats
& a candle on The Living Room Table
The Tomato-coloured Couch 7:20pm
The Fall Of Joanna Gilman Hyde
Has Been My Greatest Climb
I’ve Found The Words I’ve Needed To Use
& Boy I’ve Made Them Chime
note: Death of Mother, Elizabeth Walden Hyde, March 27th, 1993
The Tomato-coloured Couch 5:50pm
I’m having a flash-back
back to when I was in
My Mother’s Womb — I knew then
I’d be a stocky blond
in red sneakers & a white gym suit
on The Roof of # 5 World Trade Center
& grow up to marry well
twice-over —
I knew then I would harbour
within the duration of My Existence
a pulling enticement
which when met
would give birth
to the ultimate contraction
between
young & old
&
I would live & die
in
one
moment
The Hawk Queen Bed 10:22pm
“Hey Everybody! This is God
yes, G-O-D
One of You, All of You
here, as always, to tell Us
We have a correction to make —
in case You were wondering
I am female —
52 years old in Body
infinite in Mind:
Caucasian North American
with a psychiatric history
not permitted to carry a firearm
but I can wear a bullet-proof vest
to guard My Castle-by-the-sea
where I live with My Husband
the very popular Dr Blair
& My Daughter, the very beautiful Eliza
& seven cats —
I’m not kidding around —
on March 31st, 1993, after four days of no sleep
induced by the death of My Mother
I had The Shower Of Silver Lights
crash down on My Head —
I thought I was The Second Coming Of Christ
but I didn’t want to give Christianity
that much credit
so I simplified My Title
My Essence
into Those Three Little Letters
& no, I don’t knowingly control the weather —
it controls Me
& yes, I believe in eternity
& The Sacredness Of Human Life
OR I WOULDN’T BE HERE!!”
“It’s Time To Hear My Rallying Cry
to sort out Our Miseries
Organize
Our Desires
Our Abilities
forget Our failings
Uphold Honesty
for where has Honesty
gone?
It’s Time To Apprehend
My Leadership —
I offer up My Self
for I am One Human
Who has seen The Light
& Knows It To Be
The Light Of This World
Our Precious Little World”
Joanna Gilman Hyde 