Under the Door Knocker's Gaze
An Ekphrastic Poem
I nearly knocked on your door that spring day,
But didn’t want to darken your doorstep
With shadows from a war fought far away
Or the nightmares that never seem to stop
Not even when I’m wide awake,
So I stayed my hand and stood still
Showing great restraint for your sake
I had loved you and always will
Whispered my fond farewell
To a bronze eared sentry
Who swore to never tell
That his eyes had seen me,
More beast than man
His kind I knew,
In foreign lands
I was one too,
No more –
I’m through.
Mon coeur,
Adieu
Author's Note: Did not intend for this to happen but my 101st story is 101 words! My Unofficial Challenge is still running until November 21st. If you're interested in participating or reading some of the entries check out the link below.
About the Creator
D.K. Shepard
Character Crafter, Witty Banter Enthusiast, World Builder, Unpublished novelist...for now
Fantasy is where I thrive, but I like to experiment with genres for my short stories. Currently employed as a teacher in Louisville.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
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More stories from D.K. Shepard and writers in Poets and other communities.
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Comments (11)
•So sad, so deep So crushing, yet sweet. •• this poem has everything, original lines, fresh and gripping ••• it has that still small voice that have me feeling regret for something I did not do lol, wow. Your writing is blowing me away, and when will I come back from it? I do not know.
I love this Ekphrastic poem & image, the rhyme and rhythm & interesting tale. So good 💛✅!
This poem is magical, tragic and beautiful, DK. A treat for the tongue and a balm to the ears!
Oh this was stunning.
Oooo, that's a nice coincidence with numbers! Loved your poem!
DK, this was heartbreaking and so so beautiful!!! Made me ache for the lost love but I can appreciate the choice the MC made. Such a gorgeous poem!!
So hauntingly beautiful, D.K!
So many wonderful lines! Great job!
Okay...so I shall attempt to do any better and fail than my learned friends below. But, this was beautifully sad, so full of insight on human nature. I loved that it was all derived from the picture and like Rachel said, that the knocker was privy to it. The expression "bronze eared sentry" will stay with me for a long time. Wonderfully sad and funny coincidence with 101!
Well, I can't say it any better than Rachel did, so I'll just say I loved it and 101 words is a cool coincidence!
Oh, this was sad on so many levels and I like the diminishing line structure you used too. I like that idea of the knocker being witness to someone's presence. Certainly creates pathos.