Week 46: An Empty Doorway

Strange and stranger, a knock at the door
a mad dash to an empty doorway
a tall and dark someone, back turned
cooly walking off into the weather

and you call out and they slow
and you see their head turn ever slightly
but they are gone sooner than seen
disappearing into the cracking storm

and you’re left standing there
no closer to the center
no closer to a beginning or an end
going in circles, quickly and more quickly
things being hard and never easy

Author’s Notes:

Often when I work I listen to some type of instrumental music, and this week I was struck by this impossibly sweet, melancholy Japanese folk song called “Takeda Lullaby.” So when I was working on the poem for this week, I put the song on repeat and let it set the tone.

I’m really not a music theory person and can’t really explain how the melody of Takenda Lullaby works, but it’s this beautiful, minor-key melody, flecked with glimmering moments of optimism that always resolve into a bittersweet kind of peace.

I don’t know if this poem contains all that, but that’s where it’s from. If you’d like to listen to the song, you can find it here.

Favorite Line:
“things being hard and never easy”

Favorite Use of an Adjective:
“disappearing into the cracking storm”