Disarm Your Doors
Listen to what the captain says
when the aircraft comes to a stop:
Disarm your doors for arrival.
Prepare to undefend yourself—
Disarm the subtle doors of breath,
disarm the double doors of hands.
Disarm your skin, the revolving door
that lets you out and lets you in,
and disarm the portals of your lips.
Raise the white portcullis of teeth,
open the throat that rusted shut,
the gate of all you've locked away.
Disarm the oaken doors of grief
and the hatchways of compassion,
the doors that lead to hidden stairs
and doors to chambers painted red.
Before you reach the terminal,
let every door on hinges swing.
—William Keener, Corte Madera, CA
