The Hawk Portico 3:40pm
I’m Trying On
a new “bye-bye”
a new “so long”
— for purely casual
departures —
I’m Trying On
“See Ya!”
& see where it
gets Me
The Tomato-coloured Couch 4:40pm
Mine Is The Voice
Of The World
Calling Out
To Unmake Our Impoverished
Image Of Ourselves
Mine Is The Voice
Sounding Out
To Uphold Our Worthy Stature
To Uphold Our Strength Of Unity
As Human Beings
Emerging Like Microbes
Across Our Salinated Planet
Which Now Recognizes
My Authoritative Tone
As The Overseer
Whose Vision
Is As Clear
As Her Voice
The Hawk Kitchen 5:50pm
I looked & I looked
at the long-legged
insect My Mother called
The Mosquito Hawk
I looked & I looked
at His Tenuous Hold
on My Kitchen Cabinet
I looked at His Squiggly Feet
hooked on the tips
enabling His Grip
I looked & I looked
at His Star-patterned
Body, if You could call
It a body —
I looked & I looked
but nothing
could I see
that would tell Me A Reason
for Why
He
held
on
The Tomato-coloured Couch 6:11pm
The Bugs Know
I was that Young Woman
out on The Most Visible Rooftop
in The World
–
The Bugs Know
I had Something to say
They, The Bugs
know why I wore White
to match The Giant Canvas
The Shroud
–
The Bugs Know
why I dressed
in colours to match
My Message
of Our Continuing Existence
seen from above
–
The Bugs Know
why It all went Black
when I signed My Name
in 3-foot-high letters
and pressed-leather heels
to attend a party
in My Honour
with My Hair hanging loose
and My Mother’s Crystals
around My Neck
–
The Bugs Know
why nearly Everyone there
felt uncomfortable
–
The Bugs Know
why I am here
to make The World uncomfortable
to make It itch
with The Paradigm Shift
We’re in —
The Shift from White
to Black
from Innocence
to Old Age
–
The Bugs Know
I Am Still Alive
to make The World See Itself
Commune
The Hawk Deck 2:22pm
White Sweat Shirt For The Little White Gym Suit
Black Leggings For The Sea-through Skirt
Cherry Red Slippers For The Little Red Sneakers
“ALARM”
I Am The Reconciliation
Of Opposites
The Love And The Glory
Above
Hate
The Hawk Window Seat 11:33am
I’ve Stepped My Left Leg
Into My Black Underpants
Topped Off
By My Black Lace Bra
I Am Dressed
For Mourning
The Cry Of Help
Which I Have Heard
And To Which I Will
Devote The Rest Of My Life
The Hawk Queen Bed 10:22pm
Tonight I delved in
into The Meaning of Life
once again
It’s been countless times
I’ve tasted
The Chocolate of It
& seen The Sparkles
& known
My Destiny
& That of
Human
Kind
The Hawk Deck 6:07pm
I have habituated My Self
to picking up My Black Book
& looking inside
while waves sound out
by The Hawk Beach —
I am not a loner
I live with a man
yet I have known
several hearts
I have broken
though One resides with Me
upon which there will be
no desecration
Joanna Gilman Hyde