Summer Virus

by Frank J. Tassone · 15 March 2018

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Haibun

The bloated feeling began when we drove home from the library. The cramping began later, when we came to bed. Rolaids offered no relief. The cramping soon became stabbing pains, waking me up. I had dreamed that Mom suggested I take a stool softener.

twice awake
toilet paper fills
an empty bowl

The next morning, the stabbing pain is so intense that I can’t center. Thinking of coffee, I feel a wave of nausea. Can’t drive in this condition. No choice left. I take another day off.

Convalescence
another wasted day
before the tv

more by FRANK J. TASSONE

photo by Ajeet Mestry

The Writers Manifesto

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Tags: cramp feeling pain

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.