The Iron Gate Ajar — Dahlia

Verse 1

You left the iron gate ajar,
A silver key beside the stair.
The host poured wine in a china cup
And asked what brought you there.

Verse 2

His velvet sleeve brushed your wrist;
He knew the road you meant to take.
The portraits watched from candle smoke,
Their painted mouths beginning to wake.

Chorus

Stay for one more measured turn,
Let the quiet draw you near.
There is honey in his welcome,
There is nothing here to fear.
Take the hand that holds the doorway—
You can leave before the dawn.
But the latch is cold beneath your fingers,
And the passage has gone on.

Verse 3

You heard the kitchen clock strike eight,
Though midnight had just passed.
The hall grew long; the windows showed
A garden made of glass.

Bridge

You ran the way you came before,
Past the stair, past the framed parade.
Behind you, footsteps kept your pace;
Ahead, the key began to fade.

Final Chorus

Stay for one more measured turn,
Now the promise sounds like plea.
Every door opens to the same room,
Every road returns to me.
You reach the hand that held the doorway—
The last candle gutters low.
The latch is warm beneath your fingers.
There is nowhere left to go.

Outro

The cup sits waiting by the stair.
The iron gate is shut.