By Claire L Frankel
I want to make a painting
of the New York State Thruway.
But you can’t stop and take a photo
unless you want a big crash
and goodbye car, if not goodbye you.
So it has to be from memory
The full trees of Summer
laden with millions of dark green leaves.
The spectacular autumn red
gold, orange casserole medley.
And then it’s grey – bare branches and twigs
dull, dull, dull
The stripes on the road
Construction crews blocking the lane
Shapes and colors of cars
Spring brings fog and all the shades
of yellow and pure pale green
The amazing raven sky
above the Hudson
Puffy cream clouds
One day soon
You’ll see the painting.
Claire L Frankel has been writing poetry, since she learned what a poem was.. Her first published poem, ‘Deskbound’ appeared in Oberon Magazine in 2019. Her first chapbook, “Working Woman Poetry” was published by the gracious Leah Huete de Maines of Finishing Line Press in October 2020.
Also during Covid, she published a second chapbook “Plague Year Poetry,” and one of her Covid poems was included in the on-line journal of the Writer’s Institute of Albany, New York, founded and edited by William Kennedy (“Ironweed,” “Legs,” etc.).
Her recent literary journal publications include:
· “Sunday Morning in the Dutch Caribbean” in The Academy of the Heart and Mind, August 2024
· “Reapers” in ‘of the book’ literary journal, April 15, 2024.
· “Flowers and Chocolate Lady” in the Macrame Literary Journal, Spring 2024
· “In My Kitchen at Midnight” in the anthology Older Lifespan Volume 11 by Pure Slush, May 2024
· “I Loved Her but I Didn’t Like Her”in the anthology Death Lifespan Volume 12 by Pure Slush, July 2024
· “We All Love the Dead” in New Croton Review, Fall 2024
· “So Masculine” in Roi Faiseant June 9, 2024
· “I Dreamt of Planting Trees” in Book of Matches, Issue 12, 2024
· “Russians” in NapLit June 2024
· “The Baby Arrives” in Macrame Literary Journal Fall 2025
Academy of the Heart And Mind 