On The Other Side Of The Door Poem by GORDON GILHULY

there is a blackness on the other
side of the door
waiting
beyond the breadth and depth of words
unafraid of the light

and so he drives in half-hearted circles
looking prowling but all the time
knowing
that he will drive past
that he will lack the courage to ask
that the blackness would only laugh
at such feeble deception

the streets are a wet mockery
leading
only one way patient and confident
willing to outwait him and his desperate
midnight coffee and detours

2 am exhaustion drives him home
his silver bullet a chain of light switches
the darkness yields like the tai chi master
is always where he never strikes
uses his desperation

the blackness on the other side of the door
knows that it is never the vessel