Poem: Going into the Caverns

My entry for this week's poetry prompt.

Photo by Dennis Yu on Unsplash

Hey everyone, I’m here with my entry to this week’s Poetry Prompt Weekly. If you missed it, I had to do things a bit differently this time. But you can learn more about that in the post, which is linked above.

Going into the Caverns

You say, “Let’s go down into the caverns.” 
So we head in, heavy flashlight beams pointed, 
Penetrating rocks like flame to a piece of paper. 
Though, progression further in is difficult– 
The slope becomes steeper, our lights dimmer 
And an eerie noise hums from deep within. 

You stop, asking: “Is this the right place?” 
And I shrug, knowing my answer matters not. 
It was a fifty-fifty chance, but to what things?  
Dainty breathing, panic brimming, anxiety 
Wondering what was the point of this hunt– 
No, it was for a trophy, to pay for dad’s cancer
And to help you get into College. 

“It’s too late to go back, huh?” You poise, 
And the question sinks its teeth into me. 
I take a step forward and find the floor wet, 
Pulling me down, and pushing me forward as if 
The rest of way below has become more 
Of a rough slip-and-slide down to the bottom. 

You scream, I plunge, and my body is absorbed
By the darkness revealing the cavern’s abyss. 
Though your voice fades as fast as I plummet, 
It plays itself on repeat in my head– 
A trick to refrain me from losing my sanity, 
As the fall goes on, and on, and on…
Maybe it was a mistake to search this place. 

Arms hoist me up, “Hey,” I hear you whisper. 
Though my eyes remain shut, I can sense 
You stabilizing me, keeping me right in place. 
Curiosity stabs at me like a cat’s claws, 
So my eyes open, and my breath becomes stolen. 
There, next to you, the golden trophy we wanted. 
We’d won, yet all you were concerned about 
Was my own well-being. 

**Notes** 

This piece isn't perfect, but it can be hard to nail a narrative poem and keep it short at the same time. Look over at The Iliad or The Odyssey example. Those are narrative poems, but they're also classified as an Epic due to the scope and length of each one. 

Anyway, I hope this piece will inspire you to write your own narrative poem based on the prompt. Though, next week's will be more simple if that's what you prefer. With these prompts I want to be always challenging myself, so I hope you feel the same way.

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Every purchase and commission allows me to continue doing more of what I love: sharing my joy of writing with all of you. Starting next month I’m going to be working four days a week instead of five, so every sale matters more than ever. Your support means the world to me, so even if you can’t buy anything, know I still appreciate you.

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With that I bid you all adieu and wish you a wonderful day. Thank you for reading through this poem, and maybe even writing your own as well. These prompts are so much fun, and I can’t wait to be able to do more of them. Buh-bye now!!