The Dark Door

by ed pacht and Chip Bergeron

My feet standing at the door,
my hand upon the knob,
sweat forming on my brow,
the loudness of my pounding heart,
as I think about the other side.

What lies beyond I do not know,
But through that portal I must go;
For out there lies my fate.
Courage failing the knob I turned,
I gravely hoped I'd not be burned.

I know what lies beyond the door,

I know and wish I didn't,

and with my hand still on the knob,

the terror rising in me,

I begin to push the door ajar, and

I am met by an icy blast,

A flash of horror from my past:

I cringe in abject fear.

The monster has returned to me

I thought that finally I was free.

I was not ready to remember,

not yet willing to recall

and, at the sight my courage withering,

I screamed and slammed that door,

knowing that I still must go on, that

There will be no end of pain,

Until this dragon I have slain:

A beast of my own choosing.

Or did I really have a choice

Being far too young to have a voice

So panting there, hand on that knob,

I stand in dread of what must be,

I steel myself to try once more,

and, though my heart near stops its beat,

I turn that knob and push that door once more

And so the door I open wide

And manfully I step outside

Resignèd  to my fate.

Chill abated, wind has died,

And just  before me I espied

Nothingness, a dead black void,

featureless, deep and chill,

from which a freezing wind came forth,

in which a grumbling roar was heard,

and turned my bones to ice.

Into the wind I began my quest

Determined that I would do my best

The tempest's source to find.

Into the darkness, into the chill,

I told myself "I will, I WILL"

My feet, my mind, my heart set forth,

I knew the monster waiting there,

I knew the darkest doom he threatened,

for the door led deep into my soul,

to the place where he, my terror, dwelt.

And then I moved quick to my right,

Flicked the switch, turned on the light,

And saw my room arrayed.

On my bed, waiting alertly sat

My favorite yellow tabby cat