The Door

How many of us are wary of change, unwilling to take chances, with the result that we are denied the possible benefits of change? How many are held back by barriers of comfort, fear of risk, unwilling to chance the unknown, even though there may be experiences, benefits, or just something small but still different? That is the theme of the poem The Door by Czech scientist and poet Misoslav Holub. For him the door is a symbol, both of entry into new possibilities of opportunity and change, and of leaving existing known worlds and comfort zones.

The Door

Go and open the door.
    Maybe outside there’s
    a 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