Cardinal
by Ethel Rackin
I made space for the loss by putting away so many others I’d lost count. Most of my friends knew this predicament well. I wasn’t alone in this. I was alone in this. A fairy godmother had told me to hold something back as a secret just for myself. As usual, I took it literally, choosing a locket with no photo inside. At first, I thought I’d fill the cardinal enameled trinket with something—a lock of hair, an image of my love. But the longer I left it empty the less likely it was I’d find just the right thing. I kept thinking, invisible tattoo, boat adrift, permanent roam.
First published in ONLY POEMS, November 16, 2025.
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