Paul Ilechko
Spring Fruit
It's springbut nothing is green yet
here in the woodsas we pick our way
along the edges of muddy trails
Linda stops to examine a beech tree
the parchment leaves retained from autumn
are clustered like the wisps of hair
adorning an old man's head
she calls me over to see a fuzzy
brown fruit that hangs from a branch
it's a batshe says
as she photographs it from multiple angles
the bat sleeping peacefully
throughout the encounterunaware
of its upcoming fame on social media.
Bio
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, Bear Review, Atlanta Review, Permafrost, and Laurel Review. His book "Fragmentation and Volta" was published in 2025 by Gnashing Teeth Publishing. He reads for Marrow Magazine.