The Door That Opens Inward

Dev Parth

Most doors
open outward.

They let the world in
or let you escape it.

But the door inside me
opens inward.

And that is the dangerous part.

Because when it opens,
I don’t step into another room
I step into myself.

There are no walls there.
Just unfinished thoughts
floating like dust in sunlight.

Versions of me sit quietly
on the floor.

One still believes in forever.
One doesn’t trust it anymore.
One is tired of being strong.
One is afraid to be soft.

They all look at me
when the door creaks.

As if asking,
“Are you ready to meet us?”

I usually close it quickly.

Life is easier
when you don’t sit with
the people you used to be.

But sometimes
the handle turns on its own.

A memory pushes it open.
A smell.
A song.
A random silence in the middle of the day.

And suddenly
I am face to face
with the truth:

I am not one person.

I am every version
I have survived.

The door doesn’t separate rooms.
It separates comfort
from honesty.

And every time I open it,
I lose a little illusion
but gain a little clarity.

Maybe one day
the door will stay open.

And I won’t fear
the echo inside.

Because maybe
the room behind it
was never meant to trap me.

Maybe
it was always meant
to remind me
who I am
without the world watching.

  • Author: Dev parth (Pseudonym) (Offline Offline)
  • Published: February 25th, 2026 11:52
  • Category: Unclassified
  • Views: 6
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Comments +

Comments2

  • sorenbarrett

    A most interesting concept Dev. I once asked why doors had to open outward and was told that it was the fire code so people would not die stacked up against a door that opened inward. A great metaphor in this poem and it is used throughout. Nicely done

    • Dev Parth

      That’s such an interesting perspective. I love how something practical like fire code can carry symbolic weight too. Maybe outward doors protect the body, but inward doors confront the self. Thank you for reading it so deeply.

      • sorenbarrett

        You are most welcome my friend

      • Caring dove

        Sounds like your reflecting on yourself or doing some healing ? Sometimes tho .. we need help with how we feel



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