Hallway of Corruption
Written in 2008 for a Creative Writing class.
Hallway of Corruption
The orange glow from the candlelight
Leaves harsh shadows that dance along the walls
The hallway stretches out before me
Stretching but never ending
Like the horizon when lost at sea
Taunting of an end but never providing one
The side door embraces that taunting notion
The nights warm breath swings it every so slightly upon its rusty hinges
A flicker of hope sparks in my soul
I place my hand gently upon its oak frame
Prying no wider than absolutely necessary
The hinges screeching the knowledge of my ignorance into the night
My eyes slowly cross the threshold
Helplessly I stumble backwards
The flame of hope
Which provided for a flicker of a second the warmth of salvation
Is ruthlessly snuffed by the thumbs of corruption
Leaving in its ashes only the weight of knowledge
So heavy it plummets my soul deeper and deeper
Into the essence of my own corruption
Panic stricken I leap at the door
Closing it with a hollow thud
Like the sounds of a closing casket
I watch as the paint on the door shrivels and flakes
As death embraces it on the other side
Reluctantly I turn back to the hallway horizon
The weight of this new encounter heavy upon my steps
The knowledge that this new burden will never leave the perimeter of my conscience
Nevertheless,
I trudge on
Into the unknown
Tags: Creative Writing Class, Poem