The Darkest Door

there were two doors
one dripped, brimming of scarlet wisdom
the other was pristine and hollow.

I touched the scarlet door first.
it felt prickly and splintered
the sight of it frightened me
but its dark mysteries seduced me.

I turned to face the other door.
it’s surface was clean and smooth.
I also noticed
its hinges were well oiled
so I knew it would be easy to open.

you may think me to be daft
when I tell you this
but in truth
the thought of opening it
left me with a vacant feeling.
it’s as if opening this door
would close another
inside of me.

I turned back to the first door
realizing there was never any choice.
the door in front of me,
so shrouded in darkness,
was the only way
in,
in much the way
the same door
within me
was the only way
out.

I grasped the door’s knob firmly.
it felt like the cold, sweaty palms
of witching hours.
as I pulled the door open
I began to see
an infinite enigma
of possibilities
and I knew
I was home.