[Susan McLean]

Ghosted: A Ghazal

Does anger's barbed wire pierce and bind your heart?
Or has it grown a bitter rind, your heart?

My letters are returned, my calls unanswered.
I search the net, but cannot find your heart.

Our buddy movie spooled out to its end.
Is that what you think? Be kind. Rewind your heart.

They say that love is blind. It may be. Is it
a blind eye or a hunting blind, your heart?

Maybe you're ill. Do webs of plaque obstruct
the branching pathways to your mind, your heart?

Perhaps you've moved, packed up your cat and vanished,
reset your bearings, realigned your heart.

I scan death notices for you. Has someone
embalmed your memories or brined your heart?

Is my distress a taste you crave? Dissolve
the pearl in wine. Drink. I've resigned your heart.

Whatever ensues, this is where I sign off.
I'll never know if I've maligned your heart.


Revisions:
S1L1 was "Does the barbed wire of anger bind your heart?"
S2L2 "Searching" was "Scanning"; line was "Searching my nets, I cannot find your heart."
S3L1 "buddy movie" was "friendship's mixtape"
S4L1 "Is" was "Was"
S5 was "Maybe you're ill. Does tangled tau obstruct / the maze I hack through to remind your heart?" then "the paths I hack through to remind your heart?"
S7L1 was "I scan the obits for your name. Has someone"
S8 was "Is my distress a taste you crave? Drink up. / Dissolve the pearl in Riesling. I've resigned your heart."
S9L1 "sign" was "get"
S9L2 was "I'll never know: have I maligned your heart?"