admits ventilation and light, without which we cannot live.
A closed door forbids us entry, a closed door says 'stay away from me', I am hiding a secret;
an open door says 'welcome', please enter and explore.
Go and open the door.
Maybe outside there'sa tree or a wood,
a garden,
or a magic city.
Go and open the door.
Maybe a dog's rummaging.
Maybe you'll see a face,
or an eye,
or the picture
of a picture.
Go and open the door.
If there's a fog,
it will clear.
Go and open the door.
Even if there's only
The darkness ticking,
even if there's only
the hollow wind,
even
if
nothing
is there,
go and open the door.
At least
there'll be
a draught.
Miroslav Holub
1923-1998
Doors are such a great subject for poetry. I like this.
ReplyDeleteThat was a good one - love doors. The promise; that come-here-keep-out message. I like the European fashion for doors between rooms. Over here most houses are quite open with no way of shutting off anything apart from bedrooms and baths.
ReplyDeleteI like this image and your musings as well as the words- so true. Doors like windows seem kind of close to me. Anyway, hope your having a wonderful weekend Friko-
ReplyDeletefriko - it's such a powerful image. well-expressed inside the photograph and the words. steven
ReplyDeleteI have a big smile on my face as this poem is wonderfully charming. I have been there with the open door in the middle of the night and love it.
ReplyDeleteThis must be international door week! :)
ReplyDeleteDoors and gates and such are all a little magical. As is this poem. Thank you, Friko!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite sayings is that God never closes a door but He opens a window somewhere....a good attitude to have in tough times. Lovely poem that perfectly captures the mystery and possibilities that lie on the other side.
ReplyDeleteWe enter the magic door in the low wall.....
ReplyDeleteAloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
Isn't ot wonderful what can open to you, just by describing or defining something carefully - as in the case of the door?
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'll be investigating the works of Miroslav Holub further, as a result of this post.
ReplyDeleteFriko, I love that musing. Been known drive my beloved mad because I never shut a door behind me - even the cupboard doors are a bit on the iffy! Get told off but I hate being shut in anywhere.
ReplyDeleteI shall continue to think on this.
ReplyDeleteFor now: A closed door is fearsome; An open door lets the fear out.
Fran - thank you, there are so many ways of looking at doors.
ReplyDeletePondside - I don't think I'd like not being able to shut a door occasionally; it is so nice to be able to call out "come in"
Kilauea Poetry - without doors and window we would all have to live in Hawaii. it gets cold here.
steven - thank you, doors are indeed powerful symbols.
Tabor - In the middle of the night? Not in winter?
Bonnie - why? if I come over now, will you open the door for me?
Vicki Lane - definitely magical, so many stories and fairy tales
have a mysterious door in them.
Molly - yes indeed, Molly, we refuse an open door at our peril.
Cloudia - see you on the other side. Aloha!
Dave King - you are right, I hadn't seen it that way. I just thought I'd explain what a door is and then let the poem speak for itself.
Martin H - Holub is the foremost Czech poet of his generation.
mollygolver - leaving yourself an escape route?
June - You are right, another way of looking at a door. I hadn't thought of fear, but anything unknown can be frightening.
I loved the photgrah and the poem. So I'm off to open the door and see what happens.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder doors are so interesting to photographers and artists. Some places are known for their unique and beautiful doors - Malta particularly if I'm not mistaken?
ReplyDeleteReading this prompted a flashback memory of a door in a 16th century cottage in Oxfordshire that I now must try and find the photograph of.
Have you got some poetry for me???
Just an update...Belle is from the French fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast.
ReplyDeletemaggie - good luck with the adventure.
ReplyDeleteDeborah - Malta is known to me as the place where old buses go to die. But i'm sure there are some wonderful doors in the old towns rather than the tourist towns.
Tabor - thanks, should have known. But I learned my fairy tales in a different language.
I always like old doors and take photographs of them very often. This is a lovely poem – I had never heard it, so it was nice discovering it. I have a French quote : “La porte du bonheur s'ouvre vers l'extérieur.” -S. Kierkegaard and here I’ll translate it: “The door to happiness opens outwards.” – Søren Kierkegaard.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely poem Friko. I do my best to keep my door open always so that I might meet that strager who may become a friend :-)
ReplyDeleteA x
Vagabonde - Kierkegaard had one or two very good things to say, in any language.
ReplyDeleteWipso - a laudable philosophy.
I will remember this poem next time the weather is so inclement that I want to just stay inside and not even look out the windows. My favourite days are the ones it's warm enough to open the door and walk out on our deck (even for just a few chilly moments) to greet the day. Thank you for your thoughts and for sharing this poem with us.
ReplyDelete