S. D. Dillon

But what kills the nematode?

Storied away in crates, the sirex
woodwasp bastes eggs, fungus,
& mucus into the sap of weakened
conifers, hundreds at a glance.  Their
larvae multiply inside, a parasite exposed
only to another. 
Interloping, Daedalus
chutes & ladders the xylem & phloem,
infiltrating the newly hatched.

S.D. Dillon has an MFA from Notre Dame and lives in Michigan. His poetry has appeared recently in Bloodroot, The Phare, MORIA, #Ranger, Canary, and The Shortlist: Best of BarBar 2024.  He can be found on Instagram at @sddillon50.