Behind the Rocks

Behind the high rocks, where the tides swallow shore

there's a cavern that echoes, with a steely still pool.

The tourists pass through, snap their photos and splash,

but they're gone in the instant their cameras flash,

up a rope ladder and out in the sun. If you follow

the walls, rusted barnacle snails, and wade till your

T-shirt sags over your thighs, past the roaring chalk crevice where Calypso lies,

slide into the water, let it toss you around, claw the unholy basin

with curling white nails, turn onto your back and float

past the bend, you'll notice the ceilings here don't have an end,

and bits of the leaves will encircle your skin,

cutting gently at first, and then deeper within, and when you can't hear

the waves or the harbor no more, when the hint of a breath is

a whisper from God, when you can't cry for help, or find words for your prayers,

you'll open your eyes, rise up to the ledge.

Take a deep breath. Squeeze out your hair.

Wonder who besides you and the rocks might be there.

Reviews

[Kwiksie Ifediora]

Very nicely penned Thaddius. I was enjoying floating in calm abandon, then you had me panicking (almost) at:
"...cutting gently at first, and then deeper within, and when you can't hear
the waves or the harbor no more, when the hint of a breath is
a whisper from God, when you can't cry for help, or find words for your prayers,
you'll open your eyes, rise up to the ledge..."

Then i relaxed again and simply enjoyed the company of the rocks.
When i'm done i'll go rejoin the tourists. :)

Lovely poem.

[Eve Ola]

a very strong imagination. its beautiful.
bits of the leaves will encircle your skin, a whisper from God, when you can't cry for help, or find words for your prayers,..
wonderful

[Thaddius]

thanks I'm glad you liked being in the cave

[Eve Ola]

your welcome :)

[~VertoAtrum~]

This has such a lot of fantastic imagery, I love the words and ways you use to describe things. It makes you feel calm, then hectic, then in wonder. Great work!

[Thaddius]

Oh thank you!

[The Representative]

There's a difficulty, imagining the setting: of course though, as I'm sure your by now able to guess - from me that's to be taken as a compliment, not a criticism.

[Frontier]

Interesting poem about sweet abandon into nature, reserved only for those curious enough, willing enough.
T"he tourists pass through, snap their photos and splash,
but they're gone in the instant their cameras flash,"- this made me smile, its so sadly true.

:)

[Elina]

Simply marvelous. You always choose your words with such perfect precision (or so it seems, to me), and the outcome reflects such perfection without seeming over-thought...if that makes any sense, whatsoever. As I've said before, and will likely say again, your writing never ceases to amaze me.

[Thaddius]

thanks! you are right about that, I make an effort to find the write word, sometimes it's instant, sometimes I kind of search inside myself, fish around in the emotional part of my mind. If I was intellectualizing, which I can do, believe me, it would probably seem over-thought. It's a lesson that I've learned time and time again, and these days, I've been applying it to acting more than anything

[Enigma]

Quite a panoramic view and then back to the place we started. I love the imagery used here. Well penned. :D