Looking Back

I’ve walked through 
many open doors
in my time; 
some I opened myself,
more were opened
for me by others;
a critical few
blown open by 
the vagaries of Fate;

my weakness has always been
my inability to close them behind me,
my unchecked urge to spend my energy
forever turning around to see through
that long tunnel of entrances become exits.

I’d love for one day
to have people say of me,

“He knew when to close
a door behind him — when to 
simply shut it firmly, when to 
lock it and choose well
whether to pocket
or toss the key; when
to nail it shut and brick it up —

and most of all,
he knew enough
how to look behind him without
stumbling as he moved forward.”