The Smuggs Chronicle – Part Four

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Haibun Poetry

Fourth Day: August 21, 2013

Nearly the entire Meadowlark trail lies bathed in sunlight. Mira walks on its shoulder wherever she can find shade. I feel short of breath long before the steep climb to Rum Runners’ Hideaway.

“The sun wears us out,” Mira says.

Yes. The sun. That must be it!

shriveled grass
one step over the summit:
mountain reservoir

The water drives away any sensation of heat. A winter-like chill envelops and numbs me through and through. I stroke toward the nearest floating dock. Another dive, another artic swim to the climbing rope ladder, then a return to the dock from which I begin.

I climb out, finished for the day.

sunbathing bench
towering above the lake
Madonna Peak

“Nice night!”

“Cool night!”

“Hot fire!”

“Party all day! Party all week! Party all month! Party all year! Party all life!”

Goodtime Charlie leads the dozens of families that gather for the weekly Smuggs campfire, the highlight of the family activities. Kids impatiently wait to roast marshmallows while singing classic favorites: “Bingo,” “Old McDonald,” “She’ll be Coming ‘Round the Mountain.”

Not to mention the adult favorites.

When Charlies yields the stage, Frankie leads the horde to the bonfire, roasting his marshmallow.

And devouring his s’more.

full moon
walking the Meadowlark trail
searching for stars

read from the beginning: Pre-Smuggs Insomnia, the Prequel

more by FRANK J. TASSONE

photograph by Kate Tandy

Image Curve’s Manifesto

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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.

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