By Paul Ilechko
I was born aquarian
water composed
and reverent
adoration of coldness
and the trickle of melting ice
December flowers surviving
as you bar your doors
to keep the storm at bay
ice statues carved
from the width of purest futility
it’s winter no matter where
you travel - New Jersey
or even Arizona
the ice is clustering
around the fragility
of a tree’s twigs
this is a necessary time
autumn’s mulch has been
trodden to dust
and the rocks
are visible again
we need to hold
this time in our minds
don’t allow it to fail
too quickly
don’t let our love of warmth
and the colors of spring
allow us to relinquish
the richness that
surrounds us here and now
hidden beneath
the surface of the mirror
that reflects the grayness
of a light that fills us
with the need for song.
___
Paul Ilechko is a British American poet and occasional songwriter who lives with his partner in Lambertville, NJ. His work has appeared in many journals, including The Bennington Review, The Night Heron Barks, Atlanta Review, Permafrost, and Pirene’s Fountain. His first book is scheduled for 2025 publication by Gnashing Teeth Publishing. He can be found on Instagram @njscattista.