When Death Comes Knocking

/ rothpoetry
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It does make us rethink life when death is knocking
making us withdraw into our cocoons
Time to rethink our way of life // our values // our purpose
while we quarantine in our homes
Forced reflection demanded when death offers its portal
Looking out on quiet streets
Neighbors now masked strangers
Some live in fear // most take precautions
Others choose denial // finding reality hard to face
We now live in a time warp somewhere out in space
Getting prepared to make entrance
into a strange new world
Uncertain what walking through this portal may reveal
We step out cautiously and do as we’re told
Life is precious // some will die // most will live
We just hope and pray death’s portal
is not our chamber door

Staircase Painting: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Anmol asked to consider the word portal for our prompt today! As we move into a new way of living with the dangers that are all around us, I chose to write about how it affects us mentally as well as physically.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

59 thoughts on “When Death Comes Knocking”

  1. I’ve been at death’s door a few times
    And the eyes have opened again
    To reveal life’s sunshine and rain

    Beyond every closed door
    There’s an original world
    Turn the latch and find more
    Give realities of life a whirl

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  9. kaykuala

    A frightful realization! .To think that no one can escape if careless or adamant. One has to conform to the new normal. Unlike a prison sentence, we are nowhere nearer to knowing when is the end! Very true Dwight!

    Hank

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  14. Your poem conveys the new dangers and way of living so swell, Dwight. Thankfully, in the UK there is a lot of work being done to help people who are suffering from the mental effects of the lockdown. Many of these people were already socially isolated and the pandemic has exacerbated conditions that already existed. These lines spoke to me:
    ‘Forced reflection demanded when death offers its portal
    Looking out on quiet streets
    Neighbors now masked strangers’
    and
    ‘We now live in a time warp somewhere out in space
    Getting prepared to make entrance
    into a strange new world’.
    I’m feeling a bit tearful now, so I’m taking Glenn’s advice – loud music and then some more creativity!

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    • Thank you so much Kim for your thoughtful response! Recovering from this for some will be like soldiers returning from war! PTSD will add to the already underfunded Mental Health system. Stay hopeful, things will get better!

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  22. Very apt reflection of our current situation–including your final lines about death and our own chamber door.
    I like your painting, too. That staircase makes us wonder where it leads, and what portal lies just out of sight.

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