Alec Solomita’s fiction has appeared in the Southwest Review, The Mississippi Review, Southword Journal, and The Drum (audio), among other publications. He was shortlisted by the Bridport Prize and Southword Journal. His poetry has appeared in The Ekphrastic Review, Gnashing Teeth Publishing, The Galway Review, Bold + Italic, Litbreak, Subterranean Blue Poetry, The Blue Nib, Amethyst, and elsewhere as well as in several anthologies. He was longlisted for the erbacce-prize 2020. His chapbook, “Do Not Forsake Me,” was published in 2017 and is still available at Finishing Line Press and Amazon. His first full-length poetry book, “Hard To Be a Hero” will be released this spring. He lives in Massachusetts, USA.

Spring Limps In

“He looks like right after the maul hits the steer and it no longer alive
and don’t yet know that it is dead.”
W. Faulkner

Spring limps in.
Scentless lilac
saddened by still air and hot noons,
cold dawns and cold nights.
Forsythia, brilliant
flag of the season, flash of yellow
under a pale blue sky, looks dingy this year.
Elsewhere people in droves
are taking their leave
of God’s once-green earth.
The builders across the street
toss up grimy dust and blast
the peace with brick hammers, drills,
and shouts of caution.