“Frank, are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Give it up for Frank!”

Applause. Kelly yells, “alright, Frank!”

I walk up the aisle to the stage. Face the audience of fellow poets and slammers; six judges; Bill, his wife, Jan, and Mira. Rachel and Tiff attend the admission table, shadowed by the stage lights behind me. I begin:

“Memorial Stone.”

I read the haibun, look out to the back, shape the stone with my hand. I glance down at the sheets, then back up. Articulate. Annunciate. Finish.

I walk off to applause, and Kelly’s revving up the crowd. All so I can earn mediocre scores

empty glass …
her head on my shoulder
as another reads

Photo by Mark Williams 

first published in Image Curve, August 13, 2020