Notes About The Poem

In the UK, letterboxes tend to be slots with flap closures

Built into the front door of the house.

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The Letterbox

A hole in my door I don’t need anymore
It’s meant to allow mail to fall to my floor
Ex-colleagues don’t call since the day I retired
When I reached the age of ‘No longer required’

A hole in my door with flaps inside and out
Never with one envelope sticking out
These days I think it might even be great
To receive a small note re the next village fete

A hole in my door what’s the purpose of that
Never one communique on my mat
It seems that I’ve wound up on life’s storage shelf
Should I perhaps send a note to myself

A hole in my door that lets draughts in at night
But no mail comes through it… does nobody write?
I could seal it up… I’m quite sure I could do it
For nobody visits… nobody calls through it

This chilly spring morning it’s Valentine’s Day
I look to my door and my heart tells me, “Hey!”
The envelope, clearly, is not just a flyer
For it says my name… not ‘The occupier’.

Have I an admirer, my heart starts to race
I open the letter in impatient haste
I ask myself, “Who’s sending letters to you?”
Then, writ large in red… ‘YOUR PAYMENT IS DUE!’
Copyright © | Year Posted 2026

Poem

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Treacher Avatar
April 7, 2026 at 11:48 PM
I really enjoyed this. I sense this is not a letter box with the angry harsh bristley teeth that some folk employ. And I'm curious about owners whose letter box openings are vertically orientated...
Bauer Avatar
February 14, 2026 at 12:47 PM
well done, terry! i love the way you've built up to that ending. ~ i grew up in a house (in brooklyn, new york!) with a letter slot like you've described, but i haven't thought about that in years. thanks for the flashback!
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