
I’ve paused between an open door,
Where childhood has firmly ended with my foot planted on this floor.
A threshold of adulthood now beckons,
Speaking wisdom, courage, and a thrill for adventures on one’s own.
But green grass tickles my now lifted heel,
Enchanting me with worlds unimagined.
My once determined head turns,
Looking back to a comforting home.
How can I forget twining paths of youth?
As vast mountains of wishes and desires rose and fell with the tide.
Oh how I remember each trodden step,
Willing myself to such great heights.
Now I stand with hand upon handle,
A darkened hall stretches into a fathomless beyond.
I pause,
Listening to what was,
And make a choice.
Stepping back out into the wide open world,
I stoop to pick up a worn stone.
Hefting it’s weight I notice flecks of quartz shimmering.
Turning a smile to the sun I close my eyes and breath a taste of wind.
It all wraps around my body holding me tight,
And I embrace the child-that-was sealing our adoration with a gentle kiss.
Without a second glance I step back toward the egress,
And place my rock between door and frame.
Light illuminates the hall expounding upon which roads I should follow,
Bolstered by what was I eagerly press on framed by the radiance of juvenescence.
Michael is a husband, father, writer, poet, and aspiring author. He finds time to scribble down his thoughts in the dead of night, between ghosts and night owls. If you’d like to read more of his poetry follow the link here. Or to visit his full blog, ‘The Ink Owl’ click here.
I love that idea of stepping across a threshold to start a new chapter. And I am very happy there is still a stone in the door way so you can always look back at where you’ve come. Thanks for sharing!!
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You’re welcome! Thank you for reading it! There was some serious self-reflection happening as I wrote this, change and growth is a wonderful thing right?
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I enjoyed how you used stone and rock.
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Wondrous imagery… through to the future, guided by the light within a rock……
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Thank you! I was reflecting on all the change I’ve experienced over the past few years as I wrote this. It was an interesting experience to say the least.
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Michael,
This poem carries a strong connection for me as I am in a similar period of transition in my life where the road ahead feels both connected to my “child” vision of my own self but aware of the world in a way that says… yeah… put that rock in the door…
Really love it a alot, thanks for sharing!
Stephen
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Transitions in life–sometimes easy sometimes not. Beautiful poem.
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