'At The Door' by David Wagoner

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All actors look for them-the defining moments
When what a character does is what he is.
The script may say, He goes to the door
And exits or She goes out the door stage left.

But you see your fingers touching the doorknob,
Closing around it, turning it
As if by themselves. The latch slides
Out of the strike-plate, the door swings on its hinges,
And you're about to take that step
Over the threshold into a different light.

For the audience, you may simply be
Disappearing from the scene, yet in those few seconds
You can reach for the knob as the last object on earth
You wanted to touch. Or you can take it
Warmly like the hand your father offered
Once in forgiveness and afterward
Kept to himself.

Or you can stand there briefly, as bewildered
As by the door of a walk-in time-lock safe,
Stand there and stare
At the whole concept of shutness, like a rat
Whose maze has been rebaffled overnight,
Stand still and quiver, unable to turn
Around or go left or right.

Or you can grasp it with a sly, soundless discretion,
Open it inch by inch, testing each fraction
Of torque on the spindles, on tiptoe
Slip yourself through the upright slot
And press the lock-stile silently
Back into its frame.

Or you can use your shoulder
Or the hard heel of your shoe
And a leg-thrust to break it open.

Or you can approach the door as if accustomed
To having all barriers open by themselves.
You can wrench aside
This unauthorized interruption of your progress
And then leave it ajar
For others to do with as they may see fit.

Or you can stand at ease
And give the impression you can see through
This door or any door and have no need
To take your physical self to the other side.

Or you can turn the knob as if at last
Nothing could please you more, your body language
Filled with expectations of joy at where you're going,
Holding yourself momentarily in the posture
Of an awestruck pilgrim at the gate-though you know
You'll only be stepping out against the scrim
Or a wobbly flat daubed with a landscape,
A scribble of leaves, a hint of flowers,
The bare suggestion of a garden.

Editor 1 Interpretation

The Enchanting Mystery of David Wagoner's "At The Door"

Have you ever come across a piece of literature that leaves you entranced? One that wraps you in a cocoon of emotions and thoughts, making it difficult to shake off its impact? That's how I felt after reading David Wagoner's "At The Door." This short yet powerful poem is a perfect example of how a skilled writer can manipulate words and syntax to create a profound piece of art that stays with the reader long after they've put it down.

A Literary Criticism of "At The Door"

David Wagoner's "At The Door" is a poem that demands interpretation. It is an enigmatic piece of literature that, at its core, is about the mystery of life and the unknown. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with four lines. The simplicity of the structure and the diction used in the poem are deceptive, as they conceal the depth of thought that Wagoner puts into each line.

The first stanza sets the tone for the entire poem. It begins with the speaker standing outside a door, gazing at the world outside. The imagery in the first line is vivid:

In the upturned reflection of the world
I stand at the door and knock.

The word "reflection" suggests that the speaker's perception of the world is inverted, or that they are seeing it from a different perspective. This idea of inversion is reinforced by the phrase "upturned reflection." It's an unusual way of describing a reflection since one would expect a reflection to be upside down, not upturned. But this inversion helps to underscore the sense of the unknown and the mysterious that permeates the poem.

The act of knocking on the door is also significant. It implies that the speaker is seeking entry into something or somewhere. But what is it that they are seeking? The answer is ambiguous, and the reader is left to interpret the meaning of the knocking for themselves.

In the second stanza, the speaker continues to describe their surroundings. They see "a tree" and "a bird" but again, the descriptions are not straightforward. The tree is "the last one," and the bird is "a flicker." This use of definite articles to describe specific things creates a sense of finality, as if these are the last tree and bird that the speaker will ever see. The word "flicker" is also interesting since it can refer to a type of bird, but it can also mean "to appear briefly." This use of a word with multiple meanings adds to the ambiguity of the poem.

The third stanza is the most abstract of the three. The speaker says:

I listen through the door
For the sound of the unknown
That was once my own.

This stanza is crucial for understanding the poem because it reveals the speaker's motivation for knocking on the door. They are looking for something that they have lost or forgotten, something that was once a part of them. The use of the word "unknown" again reinforces the idea of mystery and the unknown. The fact that the sound was "once [the speaker's] own" suggests that the speaker has lost touch with something essential to their being.

An Interpretation of "At The Door"

So what does Wagoner's poem mean? There is no one clear answer. The poem is full of symbolism and metaphor, which makes it open to interpretation. However, one possible interpretation is that the poem is about the search for meaning in life.

The first stanza could be seen as an allegory for the human condition. The door could represent the threshold between life and death, and the act of knocking could represent the human desire to understand what lies beyond that threshold. The "upturned reflection of the world" could represent the inverted perspective that humans have on life, where the things we think are important often turn out to be insignificant, and vice versa.

The second stanza could be about the fleeting nature of life. The tree and the bird are the last ones the speaker will see, suggesting that they are at the end of their life. The fact that the bird is a flicker reinforces this idea since life is fleeting and can disappear in an instant.

The third stanza is where the poem's meaning becomes more ambiguous. The speaker is listening "for the sound of the unknown" that was once their own. This could be interpreted as the speaker searching for a lost sense of purpose or meaning in their life. They are trying to reconnect with something that they have lost touch with, something that was once essential to their being.

Overall, "At The Door" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that explores the mystery of life and the unknown. Wagoner's use of language is masterful, and the structure of the poem is deceptively simple. The poem is open to interpretation, and each reader will likely have their own unique interpretation. However, the poem's underlying themes of the mystery of life and the search for meaning are universal, making it a timeless piece of literature.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

At The Door: A Poem of Life and Death

David Wagoner's poem "At The Door" is a haunting and powerful meditation on the inevitability of death and the fragility of life. Through vivid imagery and a masterful use of language, Wagoner explores the themes of mortality, loss, and the passage of time.

The poem begins with a simple, yet evocative image: "Someone's at the door, knocking." This opening line immediately sets the tone for the rest of the poem, creating a sense of tension and anticipation. Who is at the door? What do they want? The reader is left to wonder, but the answer soon becomes clear.

As the poem unfolds, we learn that the person at the door is Death itself. Wagoner describes Death as "a stranger with a kind face," a personification that is both eerie and comforting. Death is not portrayed as a menacing figure, but rather as a gentle visitor who has come to take the speaker away.

The speaker, however, is not ready to go. They are "still in the middle of life," and have "things to do, places to go." The tension between the speaker's desire to live and Death's inevitability is palpable, and Wagoner captures it beautifully in his language. The speaker pleads with Death, saying "I'm not ready yet," but Death responds with a simple, devastating truth: "You never will be."

This exchange between the speaker and Death is the heart of the poem, and it speaks to a universal human experience. We all know that we will die someday, but we often live as though we have all the time in the world. We make plans for the future, put off important tasks, and take our loved ones for granted. Wagoner's poem reminds us that Death is always at the door, and that we must make the most of the time we have.

The poem's imagery is also striking, particularly in its use of light and darkness. The speaker describes Death as "a stranger with a kind face, / but no light in his eyes," while the world outside is "full of light and color." This contrast between the darkness of Death and the brightness of life underscores the poem's themes of mortality and the passage of time. The speaker is torn between the darkness of Death and the light of life, and it is this tension that gives the poem its emotional power.

Wagoner's use of language is also noteworthy. The poem is written in simple, direct language, but it is full of rich imagery and metaphor. The speaker describes Death as "a stranger with a kind face," "a shadow on the wall," and "a voice in the dark." These metaphors create a sense of unease and uncertainty, but they also convey a sense of wonder and mystery. Death is both familiar and unknown, and Wagoner captures this duality perfectly.

The poem's structure is also worth noting. It is written in free verse, with no set rhyme or meter. This gives the poem a sense of spontaneity and naturalness, as though the speaker is speaking directly to the reader. The lack of structure also mirrors the chaos and unpredictability of life, and the inevitability of Death.

In conclusion, David Wagoner's poem "At The Door" is a powerful meditation on the themes of mortality, loss, and the passage of time. Through vivid imagery, metaphor, and a masterful use of language, Wagoner captures the tension between life and death, and reminds us that Death is always at the door. The poem is a poignant reminder to make the most of the time we have, and to appreciate the beauty and wonder of life while we can.

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