THE LESSER DOOR

by Dee Wade

The Lesser Door of St. Magnus,
as they on Orkney Island call it —
an entrance for a congregation
that stretches so far back into time
to make Americans dizzy
while Scotsmen yawn —
inspires speculation for its use
just by standing there.

Architecture aside,
is it for those who believe less,
give less, love less, care less
so they have to sneak in the side
and remain off center
until they learn to do better and more,
or is it for those sized less
and require an opening to match?
Either way would leave the Greater Door
in the middle for the bigger people,
in quality, quantity, or both.

Say: maybe the Greater Door dominates the Lesser
to state that this is God’s house first
and that though God needs no door at all,
the symbol is effective
for instilling a sense height and power
and distance and holiness
and all descriptions of grandeur,
to etch absolute sovereignty into the brain pan;
but when Jesus came to church one day,
with a dun colored dove on his shoulder,
witnesses swore they saw him use the Lesser Door
and heard him ask the usher
to seat him wherever the Least sat,
which means, Jesus being who he is,
that was God’s choice too.