Door
For Ellie Hoovs' Unofficial Wonderland Poetry Prompts Challenge
My mind has an open door.
I picture it as oak.
It is arched, like that of a church or a palace,
Set in pale, carved stone, ridged and chisel-crafted.
It looks strong and formidable.
If closed, not easily conquered
Or besieged.
You can knock but you may not be allowed in.
If you are badly known,
The oak will remain implacable to your pleas.
The door speaks of the wisdom of trees
In its grain and the whorls and whirls of knots.
It has an iron handle, twisted metal, black.
It carries the touch of all who've been allowed to enter
And the scent of oils sits on its surface still -
Metallic and of this world: human, animal, plant, stone.
It is the smell of ages and experiences,
Hurt and delight, tenderness and envy
Brought by players.
It is not widely open.
You cannot see inside.
There is a glimmer of something -
It may or may not entice you in.
It is not a trap.
My mind does not want to hold you here.
The door is open
As is the mind itself
And you are welcome here -
For now.
But prove yourself foolish, cruel or ignorant,
And the door will shut,
Crushing your fingers with its heavy oak as you leave.
About the Creator
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Day 4 of Quitting
If this is how sobriety feels, maybe it’s better to go through life a little buzzed… this, along with other hits like, I want to kill myself, I wish I was dead, and I’m going to throw myself off a bridge have been the only thoughts on rotation these past few days. I promise myself that if, in a month, I still feel like this (‘this’ meaning despondent, full of rage, and simultaneously numb) I can go back to smoking. Until mid-February though? Nicotine is off the table.
By sleepy drafts5 days ago in Longevity
Comments (10)
Wise stance on how the door to your mind works… dramatic conclusion 🧐.
I love your door! I feel your sense of boundaries and your sense of openness and this just makes me want to have a glass of wine with you and get to know you more.
I'm envious of your door! Mine definitely sits a little crooked on some loose hinges! But nevermind that. Love the imagery of the mind having a doorway to open in welcome or close in rejection
I love Rommi’s comment! Reminds me of the many, many times I read it to my grandson. The idea of a door welcoming a friend and shunning an enemy is very striking, Rachel! I loved it!
Great job! Another one that should be TS. On a roll!
And don't let it hit your bum on the way out, should that be the direction you are headed.
Nice. I love the image of the door as the mind. Thought provoking
Well-wrought! "The door speaks of the wisdom of trees" So I take it the Lorax is a frequent visitor?
Now that is a scaryyyy door that I never wanna ever go near 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Loved your poem!
Is it just me or has your poetry gone next level? The latter I expect. Clearly some great inspiration. Also I was very glad to just read Mirror by Plath. ☺️