Gates and Doors by Joyce Kilmer
The poem explores the symbolism of gates and doors as barriers between freedom and confinement, choice and fate. It describes a gate that swings open to reveal a world of possibilities, while a door creaks shut to trap one in a life of routine. The speaker reflects on the significance of these thresholds, pondering whether they lead to liberation or entrapment.
By Joyce Kilmer · First published 1918 · Genre: Religious Poetry, Inspirational Poetry, Lyric Poetry · 415 words
First lines
(For Richardson Little Wright)
There was a gentle hostler (And blessèd be his name! ) He opened up the stable The night Our Lady came. Our Lady and Saint Joseph, He gave them food and bed, And Jesus Christ has given him A glory round his head.
What this Textopian page supports
Gates and Doors is listed on Textopian as a poem by Joyce Kilmer, dated 1918 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Joyce Kilmer
- Date: 1918 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious Poetry, Inspirational Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Narrative Poetry, Christmas Poetry
- Length: 415 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Gates and Doors by Joyce Kilmer
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Gates and Doors?
- How does this poem by Joyce Kilmer fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Religious Poetry first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- Transfiguration by Joyce Kilmer
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Genres
- Religious Poetry — The work explores themes of hospitality, faith, and the divine, reflecting a religious context.
- Inspirational Poetry — The poem encourages openness and kindness, promoting a message of welcoming others.
- Lyric Poetry — The personal and emotional expression throughout the verses aligns with the characteristics of lyric poetry.
- Narrative Poetry — The poem tells a story involving characters and events, fitting the narrative form.
Tags
Poetry · Nature · Symbolism · Imagery · Metaphor · Literary Device · Figurative Language · Rhetoric · Philosophy · Existentialism · Mortality · Life Cycle