Total Cave Darkness

Keeping eyes open though we cannot see

There was a cave I entered alone-
families, young couples followed close behind
our guide who spoke only in fact or riddle.
He said down here there’s a darkness,
which is deeper than black,
darker than closed eyes in the dead of night-
A hopeless, all encompassing oblivion.

A generous gift to us,
we could experience for only a moment.
Hold on to the loved one beside you;
The dark is disorienting, dizzying.
Though we were warned,
I had no choice but to sway on knobby knees,
nothing and no one to hang onto.

The vast, complicated system,
hundreds of feet underground-
First traversed by two young boys,
crawling the length of three football fields
without looking back, fearless and curious.
Clueless as to what they might find,
but emboldened by each others presence.