Things that get in your way,
Silent shadows that beg to stay.
A door appears, without a key,
Blocking paths where dreams should be.

It whispers doubts into the air,
A phantom built from thin despair.
The more you stare, the more it grows,
A tangled maze where no one knows.

Its hinges creak with taunts of doubt,
What lies beyond? It won’t spell out.
A test of strength, a game of mind,
A puzzle deep that few unwind.

You search the floor, you scan the skies,
For clues that shimmer, or truths disguised.
The door is locked, but not by might,
It bends to those who seek the light.

Perhaps it’s math, a simple sum,
A missing piece to overcome.
Or words unspoken, deeds undone,
A riddle...