The Hawk Kitchen Outpost 3:22pm
I have made My Star Man
in My Mind —
I have laid Him out flat
on the surface of My Dishwasher
Counter Top — I have crumpled
His Head with be-jewelled fingers
I have secured His Limbs
with The Iron of My Blood —
He sits with Me now
in My Kitchen — where no one
but Me
can see
Sobey’s Parking Lot, Barrington Passage, NS 11:27am
I am going half-naked
into The Night — dressed
in My Lace Black Bra
& Eliza’s thong
with only one piece
of jewellery on My Ring Finger
& My Trusty Watch
upon My Right Wrist
The Hawk Kitchen Outpost 8:41am
My Father once gave Me
two clutches of jade grapes
& eggs to go with them —
I put them in an agate bowl
given to Me by My California Sisters
when They came to Howard’s funeral
nearly eight years ago
I wonder where that bowl is now —
I have searched high & low
Did I give it, with contents,
to The Salvation Army — or did I
pack it away in some forgotten cranny
of My three storey house
where I will find it when
I am alone & old?
The Hawk Queen Bed 8:46am
I had a dream
of My Faithful Old Psychiatrist
Who once boomed
“I will never give up on You!”
I had a dream
He was in love with Me
soft spoken
He held My Hand
& We were the friends
We could never be
October 18, The Hawk Living Room 6:30pm
When I hit
20,001,100 metres
on My 10 year-old Concept 2 indoor rower
I raised My Arms
in triumph
& Hunter snapped a picture
forever declaring in that frame
that I was Howard
The Hawk Kitchen Outpost 12:09pm
When My Daughter visits
My Mother’s Island
will She dance
on Her Grandmother’s Grave?
Will She pick fall foliage
& climb shoreline rocks
scaring The Slumbering Garter Snakes
& The Mink who feed
upon Them?
The Hawk Kitchen 5:42pm
I’ve asked for My World Trade Center Preliminary Drawings
on actual blue prints
& My Former Husband claims
He can’t find Them in The Atlantic House —
Posh!
I’ve scattered sea salt grounds
laid out in My Mother’s Black Iron Frying Pan
& You Know What?!
I’ve created
yet again
a piece of The Universal
Design!
The Hawk Kitchen Outpost 8:30am
The Sun was Gold when I rose
making pink on Western clouds —
It’s Silver now so I’m told
by Its farthest reach
My Husband & I no longer look
at the precious metals chart —
We are waiting for the dire news
of a collapse in the money mart
Joanna Gilman Hyde 