Adapted Ghazal

Like a nut roll
in summer it was

between gasps of lovely
and terrifying

between endless examinations
of the evening news

too confusing
to be believed

and the news of now
you are alive

Ethel Rackin
and now.

ξ

Corporate Ghazal

O mighty conglomerates
what hope in corporate logos

2k likes in lieu
of corporal logos

park of promises, singulair cure
peddled by a corporate logo ho

football end line chocolates go
corporate logo meme aglow

benchmark decision, held blameless
as corporate dishonor stews

signed, Ethel Rackin
incorporated.

ξ

Red Ghazal

Tomorrow is gone—
raise the red lantern

blue heron nights
faded red sun

end the errands
the distractions

millions of moons
red lantern suns

the sky’s whisk
red clay earth

your last day’s come
Ethel Rackin.

ξ

Ethel Rackin is the author of three books of poetry: The Forever Notes (Parlor Press, 2013), Go On (Parlor Press, 2016), and Evening (Furniture Press, 2017). Her new text, Crafting Poems and Stories: A Guide to Creative Writing, is forthcoming from Broadview Press. Other new poems are forthcoming in Allium, Colorado Review, and One Art.