FREE VERSE: "CLOSED DOORS AND GUARDED WINDOWS" BY DR. RICHARD OYIBO

 

Closed doors lined the corridors of our life,

The handles so cold, an unspoken refusal.

And we knock with hope to open hearts,

But the silence rings louder than expected,

And each opportunity is a face turned away.

 

Denial hits home hard, it is a biased world,

The timing, the favours, along with the fears,

All play a part in unwelcome opportunities,

Where difference is measured in looks,

And promises run wild while we are waiting.

 

Even the windows were guarded from afar,

Blocking glimpses of what I dream to be,

If only courage could outgrow permission.

Then ceilings would turn clear and yielding,

With no reflections staring in defiance,

 

Can we rise past locks and window frames?

Can we carve lines through ceilings of stone?  

For the closed doors forged my resilience,

And the guarded windows tested my will,

Until nothing remained above but open skies.

© DR. RICHARD OYIBO (The Passionate Poet)

-Nigeria

This poem is a powerful exploration of resilience in the face of rejection and adversity. The speaker describes life's opportunities as "closed doors" and "guarded windows", conveying a sense of exclusion and frustration. However, as the poem progresses, the tone shifts from despair to determination, with the speaker reflecting on how these obstacles have forged their resilience and tested their will. The imagery is vivid and evocative, with metaphors like "corridors of our life" and "ceilings of stone" creating a sense of confinement and longing. The poem's message is ultimately one of hope and empowerment, suggesting that overcoming adversity can lead to liberation and growth.