Robert McLean

Villanelle


As one door opens, another door closes.
I need to learn how to put yesterday
behind me. I sometimes hear children's voices

as I fall asleep. They know my name is
not mine. I find it hard to walk away.
As one door opens another door closes.

I know adults must make difficult choices.
I can't choose. And I don't know what to say.
Behind me, I sometimes hear children's voices.

My father heard voices, too. They knew what his
problem was. The trick is to be ready
as one door opens. Another door closes,

another chance lost: I'm not making progress.
Not much. I can't put what I saw that day
behind me. I sometimes hear children's voices

telling me I should stop and smell the roses.
At least I had someone with whom to play.
As one door opens, another door closes
behind me. I sometimes hear children's voices.





Robert McLean: I'm a writer living in Christchurch, New Zealand. My poems have been published in Trout, Takahe, Spin, Bravado, Poetry New Zealand, Poetry Aotearoa, Southern Ocen Review, Blackmail Press, and Catalyst, as well as in Australia, the US, and UK.





Dave Ruslander Steve Dalachinsky Lawrence Upton JodiAnn Stevenson Christopher Barnes Justin Hyde Alex Nodopaka Robert McLean Review