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 last April by Kelsay Press. He’s working on another. He lives in Massachusetts.
Brightness skims slow down birch trees,
dappling bark with ivory and pearl,
flaring then fluttering in the breath
of autumn. I had a girlfriend once,
my secret flame, who from college
sent me love notes on birch bark
tenderly maneuvered into brown envelopes,
delicately kissed with her tongue.
The Galway Review 
I needed this this morning. Simple.