Two poems by Paul Ilechko

Event Horizon

What exactly is an event horizon

she asked but he had no explanation

the two words seemingly irreconcilable

one of them always at the center

of activity the other a distant fragile

thing prone to disappearing

for indeterminate periods of time

Is it measurable she asked

but still he stumbled in his insecurity

afraid of being mistaken sinking

further into his own tight world

constrained and mirrored by a silvery light

that somehow trickled from the darkness

that separated his life from hers.

Sequence

1. Locked into a sequence of specificity

2. Trudging through the sheaves pale flesh of etiquette

3. Seeded and hoar-frosted working in fractions

4. A base ten settlement

5. Together we walked sometimes inside sometimes out

6. Trailing the mystery of glass-bent sunlight

7. Weakly scintillant on a winter’s day

8. Exploring the wonders of zoology

9. Before the rattle sounded

10. Before our hungers failed anticipating the inevitable

11. A trial by death a beam of silver wonder

12. Endless drumming from the rafters

13. Where we sent our messages a telegram to love

14. Heavy wonder of the womenfolk

15. Asking where their dreams had gone.

Poet and songwriter Paul Ilechko is the author of three chapbooks, most recently “Pain Sections” (Alien Buddha Press). His work has appeared in a variety of journals, including The Night Heron Barks, Rogue Agent, Ethel, Lullwater Review, and Book of Matches. He lives with his partner in Lambertville, NJ.