I’m lying on My Tomato-coloured Couch
— did I say It’s very comfortable?
Looking up at My Crow Painting
— I need My Glasses —
The Living Room Window is Open
to The Southerly Waves
at My Head
with Eliza’s Horse Blanket
over The Rest
The Hawk Deck NOON
Yesterday The Ocean spoke to Me
& told Me to get up & write
Today it’s The Fog telling Me
to be quiet
–
1:00
I heard & saw one flock of Geese
flying south along the shore
& when I asked Hunter if
They could be going south already
He said, “Oh yes They are.”
–
1:10
I don’t care about
“Going Down In History”
I only care about
being a Living Legend
for The Time I’m In
–
1:52
There’s a Spider Web on The Edge
of This Book.
I have to get It off.
I will have to dismantle The Strand
& try to afix It to the little wrought iron table
next to Me.
–
Little Miss Muffet
sat on a tuffet
eating Her Curds & Whey
along came a Spider
& sat down beside Her
& frightened Miss Muffet away
–
Well, I got My Book back
My Daughter’s Room is Lavender
“Purple” She calls It
& doesn’t like It
The Carpet is white
with old crayon
from previous kids
She bought new sheets today
Purple
& a White Comforter
She said would make
Her hate The Room less
She bought a White Orchid
with Purple in The Centre
& flowers for a heavy glass vase
& here I sit by Her Shaded Window
listening to The Waves
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
The Fog has sunk
into My Left Shoulder
–I can’t do The Laundry–
–I shouldn’t even be writing–
Peak & Eliza have gone to Lunenburg
with Their Father & His Family
My Day Is Grey
but I’m OK–
isn’t that awful?
The Dishwasher is running again
& My Son Peter is with Me
from Montreal via Alberta
He’s a Tree-planting Crew Boss
finished with work for The Summer
now readying for school
in The Fall
The Fog Should Be Gone By Then
I am Singing The Praises
of being Peak’s Mother
& have just opened The Dishwasher Door
as It went on The Dry Cycle
When I was 17
I deliberately lost My Virginity
to a French Brooklyn Jew Drug Dealer
–He was 27–
So tonight I’m making home made Pizza
for Eliza & Her First Serious Boyfriend
Who’s just been met
in Port Clyde
by Father, Aunt & Uncle
& Grandparents
& after the Pizza
They’re driving to Yarmouth
to watch “Campaign”
while I run the Dishwasher
Joanna Gilman Hyde 