Cave

The Mouth of the cave
swallows me whole
encircling my body in a vale of darkness
enveloping everything in its reach,
until all but my soul has been devoured.
The taste of molding air
and rotting time
lays thick on my tongue,
the smell of ancient stones
and feted water pervades each breath I take.
I reach out for something to grasp,
something to hold
that the darkness has somehow left behind.
My finger tips scrabble for a chance
and fall upon an object in blind hope.
But it's not an exit sign -
only the wrinkled skin of old stones
and I am held captive
by the deafening cries of silence.

Crystal
Allen County Scottsville High School

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