Doors

Dear daughter who glows in this marvelous space,

I must tell you a secret about this whole place.

In this room you call home where you dance and you play,

the world that you’ve known from your birth ‘till this day,

though it’s safe and its good, it is only a part.

Put your ear to the wall, and hear with your heart.

This is but a room in a palace.

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Can you see that old door, hid behind the green chair?

Has it beckoned before? Did you know it was there?

It leads to a world that is wilder than this,

a mysterious maze that asks you to take risks.

Take a deep breath, (you might bring a candle),

and when you are ready, turn the door’s handle.

It leads to more rooms in the palace.

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Now, once you move forward and leave known behind,

you can never be sure of just what you will find.

Some rooms will be lovely, all flooded with light.

They sparkle with fountains, deep forests with sprites.

They’re holding more treasure than you can possibly dream,

where fantasies roam and deepest hopes teem,

Joy breathes in the rooms of this palace.

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But some doors you push open may lead to dark places,

where voices will whisper though you can’t see their faces.

Rooms full of clocks though time only stands still,

rooms full of feasts that will never quite fill,

The echoes will scare you, you won’t know what to do.

But my baby, I promise, the way out is just through.

Fear lurks in the rooms of this palace.

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But my child you should know, this room here will grow small.

You can’t stay forever, the other doors call.

So go explore and discover the beyond and above,

And remember this whole place is haunted with love.

And if some far day you’re led back to this room,

back to your beginning, you’ll see it’s grown too.

So follow the footprints, blow on the embers,

Dance in the ballrooms, and always remember

You were born to live in this palace.