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Who’s Behind the Door
The quiet words, the trembling lips,
__we’ve heard it all before.
Keen questions dwell within our minds,
__like who’s behind the door.
We saw the lights, heard voiceless words,
__asked, “Is there any more?”
The speaking’s frail and actions flail,
__but who’s behind the door?
The Wizard drew his curtain and
__he fooled the land of Oz.
But when the curtain opened up
__they saw just who he was.
He turned the wheel, he honked the horn,
__he put on such a show.
The room was filled with smoky light
__and braggadocio
As cultures clash and leaders stall,
__great fearfulness prevails.
When people feel they’ve been left out,
__then lo, their system fails.
All people want to feel secure.
__They want their qualms allayed.
As leaders walk on shells of eggs,
__the folks feel sore afraid.
We feel compelled, we have to know
__real answers, we implore.
Please tell the truth and let us know,
__Who’s that behind the door?
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R.M. Zimmerman is a poet based in North Carolina. He was born and raised in “the real Appalachia” and began writing poetry over 60 years ago.
“The room was filled with smoky light and braggadocio.” What a great line! Thanks for this good metaphor for (I think?) sinister governments.
Thank you for your complimentary words. I’ve always wanted to use “braggadocio” in a poem.
That line jumped out for me also, especially that last great word. Enjoyed the poem, R.M.
Thank you jd for the read and positive comments
Timely, clever, and enjoyable.
Thank you very much.
Cogent quatrains; great smooth rhyming read!
Thank you for your positive comments . I am a BIG fan of quatrains, couplets and exact rhymes.
Great poem R.M., just asking for the truth. Thank you.
Thank you for your great insight. Sometimes the truth is hard to find.
Gee, who could it be behind that curtain? The current White House resident? Exposed for the great phony that he is? Thanks, R.M. I hope to see more of your poetry here.
Hi Cheryl. Thank you for your great comments. This is my first entry here. I would like to see that curtain pulled all the way back.
My money’s on Steve Bannon or whoever told the previous White House resident about invisible airplanes.
Thanks for the read, RM.
Hello Paul. I’d like the door opened to see what is in that office today. Thank you for your comments.
What a great poem. What a great question… a question on many lips, I feel sure. Like Cynthia, I like the “smoky light and braggadocio” image. I think many are aware of the answer… especially if they’ve followed the immutable truth trail shining beyond the dark, fear-laced, ever-morphing lies thrown at us every day… by a greedy gang of freedom eaters.
Hello Susan. Thank you very much for your complimentary words. Many people don’t believe the truth these days because they seldom see it or hear it. I believe it was Poe that said, “Believe none of what you hear and only half you see.” It’s hard to believe anything these days.
An excellent read technically with poignant questions. Nice flow, rhyme, rhythm and metaphors surrounding this most salient question, which for me, seems prevalent between two oppositional groups with differing beliefs to truth. Does each side believe they know who the “wizard” really is, and why is truth so difficult to find in our information culture. Intriguing and well done.
Thank you for your insightful comments and complimentary words regarding style.
What a beautifully composed thought-provoking poem.
I have read it a few times and then I thought,
perhaps, God is behind the door, listening to the din
and waiting to see just when He should intervene.
Thank you for a poem that can make us think in different ways.
Thank you, Mia, for your interesting interpretation and complimentary words. I am pleased you enjoyed it.