Joanna Gilman Hyde

"Good Morning, World!"

Tag: Snedens Landing

October First

across the flagstone driveway

where Eye would find Fool’s Gold

My Father’s Father Bobby Hyde

constructed a stone play house

to match the stone dwelling He built by hand

named “The House In The Woods”

Remember:  The Play House

was only high enough

for children

and My Mother tole painted the cupboards

on either side of The Children’s Fireplace —

My Parents had a birthday party for Me

there, seated at the table and kids’ benches

built by My Mother’s Father

which She painted too in rich blue

with daisies to match Her Cupboards

THE HOUSE IN THE WOODS

The Hawk Queen Bed 8:52pm

There was a home-made house

once

built of stone

& piled-up floors

built by My Grand Father Bobby Hyde

& I as a child

called it “The Christmas House”

& asked My Mother

when were We going back

“To The Christmas House?”

& now I have My X-Miss Tree

still up

& being ogled

by people

Who call Me an artist

 

MILK BATH IN THE SHOWER

The Hawk Deck 1:52pm

I stood bent in My Shower

& the milky foam

breathed across My Chest

& poured in streams

from My Two Breasts

like The Mother Wolf

in My Parents’ Nest

DEE DEE

The Hawk Queen Bed 3:36pm

I met A Girl once

out by a pool

She had an assignment

to colour robin’s egg blue

in Her Colouring Book

I was told She lived

institutionalized

My Mother

didn’t approve

THE TUB

The Tomato-coloured Couch 5:27pm

I stepped into My Shower

@ 2:22

to wash just My Self

(not My Hair)

under the spray

I stood looking down

at My White Surroundings

& found My Self

The Child again

naked in the hand-worked cement

of a Snedens Landing pool

built by My Father’s Father

where I looked for Inchworms

& tried to see Their Eyes