Door Demon Poem by Dennis Lambert

Reason said:
“Do not fear that demon in your door,
it is but a patterning
of light and dark, and the evil
contorted hollow of the mouth,
the wide and melting eyes,
are but lines of chance—
crosscutting quick and random.

But the demon said:
“If you see me, I am there,
and if I am there, you shape me,
and if you shape me, you draw me to life,
and I have been within.”

And I pondered
how to separate
the dream from the dreamer,
the vision,
from the artist,
the horror
from the fear.