By Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes
DOORS AND GATES
We turn down numerous invitations
worked into iron
Pass by countless welcome signs
dangling knobs
Miss openings
because eyes
are easily seduced by signs
Forget abandoned entryways
peeling layers off walls
looking forward from past
Wood
pounded through stone
empty niches
hinting
what was
is no more
What is
will be open for a blink
underneath guarded balconies
Lamps
dimmed by sunrises
framed in chiseled flowers
barely holding onto pigment
Ornate faces
ready to announce the blue hour’s arrival
before gates close behind
hundreds of possible worlds
awaiting us at each corner’s turn
Editor Note: Ishmael wrote “Doors and Gates” in Greece, where he is currently staying. The people here are so welcoming. They are facing tough times but appreciate tourists and the money they bring into the country. They also have a long history of welcoming travelers.