5 July 2012
You stand at the centre of a circular room, It is dusty, old and resting in the gloom, Curtained doorways line the sides, Some are narrow, some are wide, All the same colour, giving nothing away, They call to you but at the centre you stay, You peeped behind a curtain long ago, To see fields and fields full of snow, The bitter cold bit your cheeks, The eerie air was full of shrieks, Icy demons ran free in the open, Their calls to you were softly spoken, But you shrank back in fear, Not daring to ever again go near.
Another time curiosity struck, When you thought searching was just down to luck, Pulling back a curtain so narrow, Seemingly a window build for archer's arrow, You eyes peered through into the room, Children laughed, a fire fought away the gloom, You saw yourself in a chair, Happy face, but old grey hair, Your love stood beside you, Hand on your shoulder too, Your mind was full of longing, This room was your belonging, But no, You could not go, Too narrow a slit, No way to fit, Turning in distress, Finding another door to undress, Only to stumble into flames and smoke, Holding your throat and making you choke, Your grip on the door frame was tight, Stop yourself falling, pull with all your might, A laughter that echoed up from the dark, Calling and pulling your soul to depart, You stumble back, out of breath, Heaving and gasping, hand on your chest, But giggles and music drifts from across the way, You approach tentatively, hoping its okay, Pulling back the curtain and seeing her face, Your mother reaching out for a gentle embrace, Until her hands fall away in sudden haste, She doesn't see you, you're not there, Suddenly her smile turns to a glare, She turns away, not knowing your name, Hot, salty tears run down south, Tickling torture for your mouth, Slinking back to the circle's centre, You dare not find another door to enter, Trapped forever in a curse of halls, Never again to see beyond these walls.
Choices in Purgatory • Opuss № I