Frank J. Tassone

Tag: Image Curve

  • Period 5 Accommodations: a .@ImageCurve #Haibun

    Ki-on carries on. Carmen manipulates. Carlos and Justin complain. Ibrahim defies. Seated in a horseshoe formation, in a corner room, they test me while taking their tests. I feel the familiar sensations: tightening in the throat and chest, tension in the neck and shoulders, gritted teeth. My frustration rises. This time, however, I become aware…

  • Exploring Peekskill: an .@ImageCurve #haibun

    The traffic is bumper-to-bumper south of Anthony Wayne Recreation Area. A five-minute drive to the first exit for Bear Mountain takes an hour. When we learn the park is closed, due to reaching capacity, we realize we won’t make Oktoberfest. parked carson the highway medianfoot traffic Peekskill’s Downtown Art district consists of a short row…

  • Lunch—deferred: an @ImageCurve #haibun

    All he needed to do was print his answers. But when he plugged his Alpha Smart into the printer and keyed the sequence to print, the device failed. We waited—in vain—for help from Astor’s Tech support, a CUNY intern in over his head. I scribed his answers and then walked him to class. All I…

  • A Snapshot of Bicycling around Bruges: an .@ImageCurve #haibun

    I can’t remember how I met them. Or their names. They were college students abroad, like me. We rented bikes, toured the city and surrounding countryside. We visited the city square first, where the clocktower punctured the sky. Then we rode through narrow, winding streets until we reached open country—and a road lined with Cypress…

  • Brooms Out Back: an .@ImageCurve #Haibun

    The broom rests against the vinyl siding adjacent to the storm door. Its yellow bristles scatter out like unkempt hair from one side. A black foam guard overlays a gray plastic staff. Mira steps outside, chattering with her sister overseas. She sweeps curled, yellowing maple leaves on-handed as she converses about God-knows-what in Portuguese. Even…

  • Into and Out of: an .@ImageCurve #Haibun

    A moth emerges from the darkness outside. A touch on glass, a blurring of wings and it returns. Flying through a reflection of the kitchen, as though it made it inside. fallen leaves on the deck brightening sky Photo by Max Kleinen first published in Image Curve, August 27, 2020 for dVerse Poets’ Open Link Night…

  • Barton Orchard Experience: an .@ImageCurve #haibun

    A smooth trip to Barton Orchard in Poughquag, NY—until the last 2 miles. A long, stop-and-go line of traffic behind an inspecting sheriff at a T-junction stalls our progress before our last turn. Summer-esque heat white-knuckling the wheel Paul lumbers more than walks. Like one of the Dwarves from the film “the Hobbit.” Mira recognizes…

  • First Slam: an .@ImageCurve #Haibun

    “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:…