Once …
While wandering down the hallways of my mind,
I came across a rusted metal door —
And after pausing — finally designed
To grind it open, venture in, explore
The chamber waiting silently beyond
Its dusty threshold. With force I applied
My shoulder to its frame: it did not respond.
It was then above the doorway that I spied
The faded sign: “Attention all
Who enter! Be sound in mind and health.
Within lies that which brave men can appall —
For he who enters here must face himself.”
It has been a long time since the fateful day,
When I left that door behind and walked away.
This was my first, and only, attempt at a sonnet. If I remember right, our creative writing teacher gave us a choice between doing a sonnet or one of two other forms of poetry. I always used to think of sonnets as either love poems or flowery descriptions of nature, but this one turned out pretty differently. At the time I think I was pretty proud of this one, and I still like most all of it but the ending, which seems a little anti-climatic. Maybe someday I'll come up with a better couplet to end this with...
ReplyDeleteI don't really have too many deep, dark, haunting secrets in my past or personality -- but I do think that most of us put up little fronts or shields to protect ourselves from seeing how we really are sometimes. Truth can be frightening, but it's usually good to confront the truth about ourselves and have the courage to try and change, rather than "walking away" from it.