Joanna Gilman Hyde

"Good Morning, World!"

Tag: nova scotia poet

I Just Made A Bed

The Hawk West Desk Window 12:30pm

I just made a bed

for The Procreation Of Humanity:

I spread out a dark brown bottom fitted sheet

and picked off The Galaxies

stuck there —

I overlaid the top sheet — dark purple

tucked it under the queen-size mattress

& filled the matching pillow cases

with very old pillows

The Comforter went over last —

old too because of the occupancy

of cats

TO THE SOUTHWEST

The Hawk West Desk Window 4:56pm

The tidal outlet

of The Hawk Inlet

is wet with low tide

sheening silver

before the dunes

of The Cape

silhouetted against a silver ocean

seated — I or The Ocean?

through

My Window

Screen

THOMAS SZASZ*

The Hawk Basement 3:22pm

I was going to write

a poem

listing My Psychiatric Diagnoses

but I decided

to make Potato Salad

instead

 

*maverick psychiatrist/author (1920 — 2012) 

The Myth of Mental Illness

Schizophrenia:  The Sacred Symbol of Psychiatry

MY WARDROBE

The Hawk Portico 2:48pm

I have Poetry Clothes

Invalid Clothes

Black Jesus Clothes

& Something for The Silver Christ

borrowed from The Invalid Ensemble:

My Thick Grey Robe

worn as My

“at home” attire

seen by My Husband, My Daughter

(She picked It out)

several carpenters

& maybe neighbours

when I take out

the trash

SOMETHING GLIB

The Hawk Dining Room 2:07pm

I ate a pork sandwich

made a cup of tea

put on My Poetry Clothes

— I’m on the last load

of laundry —

& like Magic

(it was the pork sandwich)

I am well

I’M NOT ON

The Hawk Deck 10:46am

I’m on The Knife Edge Of Happiness

I could whine & have My Doctor Husband

stay home from work

with Me

but We would only talk

circuitously

I would still hear the birds

only through My anxious

stomach

HAWK KITCHEN OUTPOST REPORT

The Hawk Outpost 5:15pm

A Springtime Haze

lies East over the water

— I will not be seeing

The Ocean this evening —

but I have just seen

A Flock Of Six Geese

— at least I think

They were Geese —

flying along the shore

against The Light

of The Sun

in transit

9:22

The Hawk West Desk Window 9:26pm

I once had someone ask Me

“Joanna, are You A Perfect Person?”

I answered with The Perfect Answer

“Sometimes.”

I have always been

in A State Of Perfection

I have always existed

and The State Of Existence Is Perfect

when I die I will have

The Perfect Death

I will fly away to the stars

My Spirit will impregnate

again

the egg of someone new

and I will grow once more

into A Being with A Mind

into A Human with A Destiny

different from

My Own

AN EVENING SKY

The Hawk Outpost 7:28pm

Oh My God The Sky Is Beautiful

Layer Upon Layer Of Silky Cloud

Coloured In The Softest Blues

With Warmer Cream At The Horizon

& Mottled Grey At The Height

To Which I Tilt My Head

& Eyes

MY BLACK JESUS HAT

The Hawk Corner Room 5:15pm

Last Night in a dream

I wore My Black Jesus Hat

It was woven straw

with a pale blue sash

I could see My World through Its Brim

a small group of Women began to gather

I felt the urge to speak to Them

and as I made ready

My Crow-d dispersed