Blossoming Terrors

by Frank J. Tassone · 11th February 2016

Haibun

The Japanese Maple grew in the center of 52 Holland’s front yard. Its long branches stretch to the sky like a petitioning priest. Its maroon foliage crowns the tree like a lion’s mane. It beautifully fills my bedroom’s picture window by day.

But by night, illuminated by a streetlamp, the tree transforms into a trio of gangsters. Who reach for me through that same window.

new moon night
a streetlight silhouette
crossing my bed

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photograph by Brandon Morgan

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Tags: haibun 80 longing memory moon moonlight nature new poem night rebellion sad tree

Frank J. Tassone

Frank J. Tassone lives in New York City's "back yard" with his wife and son. He fell in love with writing after he wrote his first short story at age 12 and his first poem in high school. He began writing haiku and haibun seriously in the 2000s. His haikai poetry has appeared in Failed Haiku, Cattails, Haibun Today, Contemporary Haibun Online, Contemporary Haibun, The Haiku Foundation and Haiku Society of America member anthologies. He is a contributing poet for the online literary journal Image Curve, and a performance poet with Rockland Poets. When he's not writing, Frank works as a special education high school teacher in the Bronx. When he's not working or writing, he enjoys time with his family, meditation, hiking, practicing tai chi and geeking out to Star Wars, Marvel Cinema and any other Sci-Fi/Fantasy film and TV worth seeing.