I wrote this poem this past December and then let it sit for a good long while. Now it seems to me that it has something to do with Lent and Jesus’ invitation to follow him into the desert for these forty days. When I wrote it, I was thinking of the root cellar in the basement of my Grandma’s house. It was a fascinating space to me as a child, full of spider webs and canned goods.
There is a room full of darkness
within each of us.
Descend the stairs,
round the corner,
and descend the stairs again.
There stands the door,
worn and wooden,
the room behind it
like a small cell
cut into the cool, earthy
darkness of the soul.
The door is held shut
by a thin hook and eye latch.
What lies behind it,
we dare not guess –
deep secrets wrapped in fear
huddled in darker corners yet?
Perhaps.
But maybe, also, there exists
preserved in the dank shadows,
the fruits of our lives,
treasures untold,
the deep, cool roots
from which we and the world might drink,
were we ever to dare to
reach out our shaking hand
and open the door.
This post is linked with Playdates With God and Hear It On Sunday, Use It On Monday.
this spoke to me..yes, what "treasures untold" would be we find, if we went past our fears…Thank you for sharing 🙂 yes, the path to true transformation often does require us to go behind closed doors in our soul…linked up behind you at Laura's 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, I still need to read around over at laura's. Blessings to you!
What a great perspective that we could actually find treasure and fruit in unexpected places! I love that!! And what a great motivator to be rid of the fear of opening our dark places fully. Beautiful. Thank you!
Michelle
Thanks for stopping by, Michelle. God says that even the darkness is as light to him, so we need not fear – God has good purposes in mind for every part of us.
It is lovely. I too am preparing for Lent. I am in the writers group and just stopping by for a quick hello!
Blessings,
Gayle from Behind the Gate
Thanks for stopping by, Gayle. I'm looking forward to getting to know the group!
I love that this poem came to you earlier and now it has found a special place as an invitation to Lent. Lovely, Kelly. I so enjoy your words.