Grace Storm - How To Be A Door

Rule number one

Never leave your keys under the mat. Someone is always watching, waiting for the day you're running late

He will come knocking, hoping to find the bell to your soul and you will answer

Because Mama told you, never let a stranger think you're not home. It gives them reason to invade you

So take your time. Make sure he identifies himself. as true take a peek through the peephole that's what it's made for and make sure that

there is no unwanted baggage because there's not enough room in there strangers have habits of

staying the night so never leave your latch off the hook because that's how they turn and

take a handle on your resting place rule number two never mistake his smile for comfort

there are stories behind those lips that never knew how to carry truth bite your tongue

don't let the words welcome slip onto his wood trees get chopped down

you know, recycled, like how they go from door to door hoping to make use of themselves

Don't fall for the plastic. Looks can be deceiving. Not everything is water, so don't fall for the thirst

That reminds me. Rule number three. Don't fall for the thirst. Not everyone deserves a quench of your tap

These things are expensive, you know. Droughts don't come often, but it comes

Slowly but surely they will tire your bones for the amount of times you've had to wash your own tears off the passage walls

keep it closed You don have to answer especially when you weren expecting visitors There is no need to rush to prepare the spare room keep it all to yourself because on some nights you need the space to rest

your worries. And finally, leave your porch light on. They are always out there waiting for a moment to grow under your skin long enough to convince

you that they pay bond, that bond will eat you alive, like forgotten tombstones, you will

never weather that storm. So keep it bright. Blazing like flames burnt under your eyelids, always ready to keep the trash off your lawn

you never worked as hard to have the grass greener on the other side, your home is monumental

Seasoned and ready, but sometimes their knuckles can't handle the knock, so set the alarm

Don't make it easy. That weight better be worth disarming it for, don't hesitate, but if you do

swing those doors closed because strangers make homes out of your body

a place where they never go from, they only come. And they come and they come, but this is your home

This belongs to you. So build mansions in your throat if you want to, make picket white fences out of your skin

let gardens grow from your thighs, and let no visitor pluck its roots, unless he's here to stay

Because this is my home. And you are not welcome here. I don't remember cutting you a set of my keys, so I am certainly not open for your second-hand business