Such Monotony

by Frank J. Tassone ·

coffee mug on wooden table with red chair

Another day.

Students to nudge to work or be silent,
while others teach.

While I remain voiceless…

Another day.

IEPs to write. The implications of the difference to face.
Between where I am,

and where the report indicates I ought to be…

Another day.

Already a late one, capped off with an appointment,
from which I return home by 8:00. For dinner.

followed by a 9:30 bed time…

…so I can begin

Another day.

gurgling coffee
a shudder every time
the clock ticks

photo by Danielle MacInnes

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.