Let Me In: A Poem

There's a girl who sits upon your stair

And asks you, please, to play with her

When you decline, the poor girl cries

A wailing, moaning cry

She begs all day without and never stops

But you always tell her no

And so at night she whispers

"Please, mama let me in."

You shut your eyes, cover your ears

The wailing never ceases

"Why won't you ever play with me?

Please, mama let me in."

Three sharp knocks against your door

That's how she always calls

It ruins all your nightmares

You haven't slept in years

It's not your fault, you want to cry

But all you do is sit

And stare against the cold, white walls

That were once stained with red

You tell yourself she wants to play

What harm can be in that?

But then you remember dying screams

"Please, mama let me in?"

You know you should, the little girl's

So lonely without you

But sometimes you hear her whisper

"If you won't play with me

"I'll find someone else who'll join my game

If you won't let me in

But I'll be back tomorrow

You best be ready, then."

You're thankful for reprive, but

Now your gut twists with a guilt

'Cause you let her out, that lonely girl

You let her out the door

That night she roams the neighbourhood

Knocking all the doors

Hoping that some poor lost soul

Will kindly let her in

Your hands against your bleeding ears 

Beg silence in the night

But then you hear a dreadful sound 

"Will you please let me in?"

It's not against your bedroom door

Though, somehow, you wish it were

It's against another's door

The one who's innocent

The one who sees a frail girl

And offers kindness there

Oh how you wish you had the strength

To pull her away from the door

But you're a coward, you know it's true

Your body shakes with sweat

Your eyes are bloodshot, your breathing gone

You wait to hear the screams

It doesn't come, you realize

When daylight finally saves

Perhaps your neighbour's innocence

Saved her from the child

But then outside you hear the noises

Crowds have gathered now

Someone found the body

Of your neighbour's innocence

You look outside your window

And stare out on the street

But she's in too many pieces

For you to even speak

And then you hear the dreadful noise 

That freezes 'gainst your heart

Three sharp knocks against my door

"Now will you let me in?"

© 2014 Victoria Trask All Rights Reserved