Death’s Door
You can’t miss it.
It’s the last house on the block,
a bit run down but lots of curb appeal—
a widow’s walk on the mansard roof,
a weather vane that always points south,
tall beveled windows with the shutters closed
day and night.
The owner’s been there forever.
A gentleman who mostly keeps to himself,
he takes long walks of an evening
with his collar turned up, his fedora pulled low.
Sometimes he’ll nod when you pass him on the sidewalk.
Sometimes from across the street
he’ll wave.
You take it as an invitation.
And one day soon or years from now
you’ll find yourself standing at his door,
admiring the old brass doorknob rubbed to a shine.
You’ll put your good eye to the keyhole,
see nothing but darkness,
knock.
17 thoughts on "Death’s Door"
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Fabulous poem. Genteel and chilling.
“Sometimes from across the street/he’ll wave”
Thanks, Laurel!
This poem gives me the shiffers. The extended metaphor is really perfect and so many great details — the weather vane pointing south, the tall beveled windows, the fedora pulled low, the old brass doorknob. If this poem is about what I think it is about the foreshadowing is so effective. Here’s a doorknob we will all knock on.
Thanks darlin! You and I won’t be knocking on that door anytime soon, I hope.
Kevin – Absolutely love this! The Fedora touch is nice – my dad wore one. The beginning reads like a scene from Our Town; the last stanza – Wow! “You take it as an invitation” sets the ending up so well. Nicely done.
Thanks, Sylvia! Our Town is one of my favorite plays, so that’s a great compliment!
It’s hard to say something the others haven’t already said, but this was a fantastic read. It has me wanting to know more about this house and this man, for better or for worse. I love a poem that can draw me like that.
Thanks, Philip! You’re such a young man, so you won’t be knocking on death’s door anytime soon I hope 😏
The line “You take it as an invitation” reminds me of Keats’
. . . for many a time
I have been half in love with easeful Death,
Call’d him soft names in many a mused rhyme,
To take into the air my quiet breath;
Now more than ever seems it rich to die,
To cease upon the midnight with no pain . . .
Keats! Wow. I did want the gentleman in the poem to not seem really monstrous, although of course he’s scary in a way.
lots of good lines, great poem
Thanks, Mike!
Hauntingly good!
Thanks, Linda!
So many subtle hints to the meaning of this poem – last house on the block, the shadowy gentleman, the closed shutters, the brass doorknob we will all have to turn – sooner or later. Very elegantly written.
Thanks, Kathleen!
Many layers in this poem and lovely images. Terrific.