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, Red Dirt Forum, and elsewhere. His chapbook, “Do Not Forsake Me,” was published in 2017 and is still available at Finishing Line Press and Amazon. His first full-length book of poetry was published this past April by Kelsay Press. He lives in Massachusetts.

Junior High Dance

At a junior high dance filled with
chaste kids in dresses, skirts,
jackets and ties, the floor
tilted, but only for me.
I knew a slow song was next
when I started toward Phyllis amid
the euphony of whispering dresses,
and clicking shoes. We were pals so she
took my hands easy when the song
began. Then the floor tilted wildly
and my eyes swelled, my ears rang,
and my lungs were loosed of air.
And I said, though I couldn’t hear it,
Phyllis, will you go steady with me?
Her look was so kind and sorry, I
splintered onto the gym floor in
heaps of glittering, tiny, heart-shaped shards.