A Glimpse by Ella Doschek Serengulian {Inklings Book Contest 2022 Finalist}

Today we are featuring Inklings Book Contest 2022 finalist Ella Doschek Serengulian. Ella finished 7th grade this past school year and wrote a poem called “A Glimpse.” One judge said that right from the beginning, “The words drew me down the staircase immediately, and created the unfolding effect of walking into room after room, making discovery after discovery.” Enjoy!

 

A GLIMPSE
By Ella Doschek Serengulian

A dark, gloomy staircase

I descend 

A door

I pull

But, it is locked.

A search 

For a key,

A key, 

A turn, 

*CLICK*

I pull open the door,

Inside it is dark

With only the softest of lights. 

A bridge,

I look around. 

Faded animations I see.

Strangers 

& loved ones. 

I crane my neck up 

& see numbers glow.

Ten to twenty 

As I walk

It becomes apparent to me 

That there is another door, 

I run

Carefully 

As not to trip.

The bridge is old

And some of the planks are missing.

I pull

It is locked. 

A search 

For another key.

Hidden, but still there 

Under a rock

A key

A turn 

*CLICK*

I walk in 

It appears to be 

The same

But the numbers and animations,

Are different

Me

A stranger 

But it appears I know this person

The animation fades

I turn 

And look at another 

I appear only a little older, 

The same person

A wedding

It fades 

Just like the last one. 

On & on the rooms go.

In each 

Pictures

Numbers on the ceiling

Thirty to forty  

Forty to fifty

Fifty to sixty   

Each time I enter a new room

The pictures get bleeker

And somber

A tear

I feel the burn. 

It runs down my cheek. 

I enter a new room with the numbers eighty to ninety.

They are all of the same relevant animations 

But one draws my attention

A bed

Nighttime

A single soul.

I crawl into bed.

The sun rises

Then sets

A new day gone by,

Days go by

I can’t bear to see the rest

I run across the bridge 

I trip

I get up

I keep running 

A door 

A key 

A turn 

*CLICK*

But when I step 

Into the room 

It is empty 

No light

No sound 

I stand there and stare

 

Emptiness 

 

I feel as if the world is tilting

Spinning 

Faster

Faster.

Then I turn. 

And run.