The Room

they ask everyone in the room
before they will ever ask the one going through it,
whatever it is.

the one going through it is not even in the room.
could not even get through security if they tried.
saying I have a silver message wrapped in gold

they may want to know, the people in the room.
the people who know things without considering
the people who go through things

who are not invited to the room.
or anywhere. who are lucky
to be seated on a bus

and afterwards, not to have to wade through floods.
or wake up at night to fire and calamity.
so that the angels will come

for the great roundup.
and those souls who had so much to say because they lived it
who never got in that day
with the silver message wrapped in gold

are ushered into heaven
while those in the room
with well appointed furniture with the carpet to die for

still flounder
seeking not to know
but to be known.

mary angela douglas 20 september 2019