This is a tough question. 
 
I am looking for a poem about middle age. 
Cannot remember any of the exact wording 
or the author. 
 
 
But it goes something like this... 
 
 
"When a man turns 40, he starts 
gently closing doors to rooms he 
knows he will never visit again." 
 
 
Sorry I can't be more specific. 
Any help or comments greatly appreciated!

Hi,

I'm pretty sure this is the poem you're after:

Men at Forty
By Donald Justice

Men at forty 
Learn to close softly 
The doors to rooms they will not be 
Coming back to.

Men At Forty
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~lavie/dreamwine/justice1.html


You may be also interested in another poem of his, 'Men At Thirty':

Men At Thirty
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/5810/thirty.html


And several of his other poems are here:

Plagiarist.Com: Donald Justice
http://www.plagiarist.com/poetry/?aid=20


You can read biographical information about Justice here:

Donald Justice
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/5810/justice.html

Interviews With Poets: Donald Justice
http://www.interviews-with-poets.com/donald-justice/justice-note.html


And you can read part of an interview with him here:

Donald Justice in conversation with Philip Hoy
http://www.interviews-with-poets.com/donald-justice/justice-extracts.html


I hope this is the poem you were thinking of.

Thanks,

grimace

Search strategy at Google: forty + doors + rooms
                           "donald justice"

Outstanding !