OPENING DOORS

Opening Doors

for Charisse Tucker

Before yesterday, it had been two years--

Two years, five months and several tears.

Abandoned again, this time in the name of the Lord,

Silence sanctified in the womb of religious war.

I missed you. I railed, I prayed, I wanted.

And then--I resigned that this reality

is just the way it would be; doors closed

to pizza runs and ice cream parlor memories

would never open again.

And then, you called

a voice from my beginnings

my past flushing/left into my life again

I breathed/sighed even

that I did not simply "click"

you off/the phone bearing

your voice/your hopes to me

across the wind and around my hurt

I am surprised by the grace

given, that you had what you needed

inside your soul

to reach out for me and that I

had the power I needed

to let you open the door

again/to help you open it

in the hearing

No judgment for the time or the tears

that have passed between us.

No rancor for conversations

held only in my head with you.

There is no making it up;

there is only this day--

yesterday's gift--

doors opening.

© Valerie Bridgeman

August 26, 2011

DRAFT (doesn't feel complete)

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