Doors

Doors by Abraham Dabengwa The door is shut! The door is shut! Do you not see it? Do you not see it? I knock my knuckles red But you still don’t hear I bang the heavy wooden panels Massaging the ancient plank Which alone savors and loathes This manner of touch And wishes to give in Were in not trapped Between these pillars of despair Hear, hear! Is anyone home? Is anyone home? I hear the music You make in your silence I feel the rhythm I sense your presence Perhaps you are deaf? Perhaps I am blind? Maybe there is no door And neither you nor I? O this is self defeating Self defeating I know you are there I know you are there I brought you a rose That you loved The day I first saw Your face glowing Your smile stretching To the heavens And your sweet charm did my heart unchain The door unlock O yes! The doors were open And did witness I know you cared I know you cared

This door that stands These walls that hide This space that divides They don’t wane The spark you stirred Lo, I see through the windows Your glowing presence Behind the silky drapes Yet I did not come To behold prison walls I came to see you I came to see you Tis a beautiful street this With many houses An abundance of doors And yet I choose To rest at yours O what fortune! Or what grief! By chance perhaps ‘cause the Chesire cat says “Any door will lead you there.” But where is there? Where is there? I hear a sound! I hear a sound! What is all this knocking? Who else is knocking? O her door is the mayor’s Never ceasing in duty Yet I see none beside me It’s coming from my rear What manner is this! I am trapped behind a door And lo, it is she that knocks It is she that knocks! Where are the keys? Where are the keys? O she grows weary I’m searching but I can’t find I see no doorknob There is no keyhole Is this the door to the afterlife?

No, not ever My love awaits me She knocks harder Where are my keys? Where are my keys? An angels hears me, “What manner of distress?” He bellows “Knocking and knocking Till our feathers fall Do you not tire? Seeing only yourselves in others And not what is Making your own doors” I trembled And it all was clear And it all was clear There are no doors There are no doors Did you not see? Did you not see?