Haibun

Frankie pounds the brown, floral-print pillow on our Lazy Boy. He screams. Then utters a long series of unintelligible noises. His tear-swollen eyes soon turn red.

He never gave us a permission slip to sign. Therefore, he will miss the fifth grade versus faculty basketball game. Entirely.

Neither fact stops my heart from breaking for him.

starless night
last whimpers in
a damp pillow

photograph by Sean Gorman