A Grief Reobserved: a #Prosery #AmericanSentence #haibun

Terrance Richmond
(photo courtesy of Mike Hellgrenโ€Verified account (WJZ 13CBS Baltimore))

We found out that our friend and colleague, Terry Richmond, died while vacationing in the Dominican Republic.

The news came right before we began the 2018-2019 school year. Shocked with grief, our school came together, organizing a memorial during the first week, and meeting his mother. Her steadfast faith and grace inspired us, even as we tried to console her.

The memorial came. We shared our memories of him. We comforted each other as best we good. We let him go, went through our year.

Then two days ago, CBS News Baltimore broadcast the story of his mother seeking answers. Dominican authorities had declared Terry’s death a heart attack. His mother learned, however, that he had suffered a fractured skull, bruised ribs, and bruises on his knuckles.

Meanwhile, at least three other American tourists died myseriously in DR.

When faraway an interrupted cry carries on.

for dVerse Poets’ inaugural Prosery (pubtended by Bjorn).

Prosery is a new micro-fiction feature, in which we write a 144 word prose story. Adhering to my haikai ethos, I wrote a haibun that features an American Sentence conclusion. Beat poet Allen Ginsberg created the American Sentence, a grammatical sentence of no more than seventeen syllables, as an English language alternative to haiku.

The pub is open! Come join us!

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15 responses to “A Grief Reobserved: a #Prosery #AmericanSentence #haibun”

  1. kanzensakura Avatar

    I have been reading about the tragic beatings and deaths in the.tropics. terrible events.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Victoria Stuart Avatar
    Victoria Stuart

    So very well-written, with the mother’s anguish woven through.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. memadtwo Avatar

    A beautiful remembrance and lament. (K)

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Margaret Elizabeth Bednar Avatar
    Margaret Elizabeth Bednar

    heartbreaking

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Grace Avatar

    So sad and depressing for the family. The cry will go on and on, looking for answers.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Frank J. Tassone Avatar

      Indeed, Grace. Our hearts break anew.

      Like

  6. petrujviljoen Avatar

    Terrible. How now to find peace for anyone who knew him?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Frank J. Tassone Avatar

      No clear path forward.

      Like

  7. lynn__ Avatar

    Another senseless crime and tragedy…so sad.

    (I think I counted 18 syllables in that American sentence? but I could be wrong!)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Frank J. Tassone Avatar

      Indeed. (I counted 13 syllables in the American sentence, myself. But it has been a long day! ๐Ÿ˜†

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Bjรถrn Rudberg (brudberg) Avatar

    I did read a bit of unanswered questions… death during vacation is terrible really, but I have only heard about heart attacks.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Frank J. Tassone Avatar

      We had heard that Terry died of a heart attack. Then the story broke about Terryโ€™s fractured skull, bruised ribs and knuckles. The coronerโ€™s report looks suspicious in that light, at least to me.

      Like

  9. robtkistner Avatar

    Such a tragic tale, void of justice – very sad Frank.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Frank J. Tassone Avatar

      Thank you, Rob. It truly is.

      Like

  10. Anna Avatar

    Iโ€™m sorry for your communityโ€™s loss. I hope his mother gets the answers she seeks.

    Liked by 1 person

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Frank J. Tassone-American Haijin by Frank J. Tassone is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0