The Door
written by: Allison Gilliam
Your name has become
A drop of poison
That shatters my heart.
What used to be music
To my ears
Is now that which I
Avoid at all costs.
I take a different path
So that I will not see you.
I beg friends not to tell me
Anything which rings of you
(which is everything).
I fight to sleep
And pray that you will not
Visit my dreams
Because I can’t bear to wake
And realize that returned only because
I wished it to be.
I hope everything I see
Is not your shirt
Your stride
Your shadow
Coming to say you were wrong.
I am not yet strong.
Stay away long enough
Far enough,
And when you do return
I’ll be able to show you
The door.
Allison Gilliam is an emerging writer, finally carving out the time to put in print all that which has accumulated in her head over decades. A mother of two young children, she has redefined herself from that of a manager in the financial industry to a free-lance writer, activist and advocate for children's healthcare reform. Her body of work consists of short-story fiction, commentary/op-ed pieces as well as poetry. She reads voraciously in every genre and loves gardening, cooking and taking long walks in nature with Enzo, her beloved Golden Retriever (yes, named after the dog in that novel). Born and raised in the South, she lives in the northeastern US with her husband and children.
Latest posts by Allison Gilliam (see all)
- The Door - August 8, 2024
- Some Supple Mermaid - May 28, 2024
