That Fly on My Finger —
He’s not scared of Me
& look — how big am I?
–
I’m not scared of The Universe —
It’s been squashed down into Human proportions
inside My Mind
at The Tip of My Finger
The Hawk Kitchen 6:30pm
I have My Big Black Cat Astro
Who could be targeted by Halloween pranksters
as warned by a cat-loving Secretary
Astro cannot be let out
until Cover of Darkness
and this at My Husband’s insistence
— He thinks Astro is safe —
if anything happened to My Astro
I would be inconsolably bereft
My Art Framer Al Delaney
former Mayor of Shelburne, Nova Scotia
called this morning
to tell Me He finished framing
My Letter from former Mayor Ed Koch
of New York City
& My Letter from former Governor Tom Kean
of New Jersey
written upon The Completion
of My Ten-thousand Square-foot Elliptical Spiral
on The Roof of The Former #5 World Trade Center
The Hawk Living Room 6:00pm
I’m savouring the last vestiges
of Sun
with the end of My Beer
before Our Nor’ Easter
combines with Hurricane Sandy
to form the already famous “Frankenstorm”
of 2012 —
could The Election be postponed?
How pleasant that was
having Eliza bring out Her Laundry Basket
to fold Her Clothes beside Me
as We both sat on The Stoop
listless in The Afternoon Light
— no wind —
mild enough for bare feet or socks
while We imagined what kind
of House Wife She would be:
“Better than You,” She said
I said, “So rich You would have a maid”
“So rich I could micro-lend
to poor women in Saudi Arabia”
The Hawk Portico NOON
When I hear The Squawk of The Jay
It stirs something in Me
some nebulous touch of nostalgia
I cannot put My Finger on
It has something to do with My Childhood
or My Growing Up
solitary in Valley Cottage
maybe in The Backyard Woods —
I had few friends:
one kooky one
Who always chanted “Hyde Hyde —
Take Me Outside”
when I was happy to oblige
after some pretend reluctance
The Hawk Living Room 6:40pm
I wrapped The Corpse
of My Mother
in Saran Wrap
so I could see Her better
& carried Her inside the house
My House
so I could hear Her better
I refrained from putting Her
inside the freezer
& carried Her instead
to the downstairs bathroom
to partake in the ceremony
befallen all The Others
Note: This was written on the last page of My Keith Haring Journal
Joanna Gilman Hyde 