When the guide turned out the light
The darkness drove away the space.
Without the stars to show the night
Reality crashed in my face.
Kentucky vanished, out of sight.
This cave below became no place.
Linked to dVerse Poetics where Anmol is hosting with the theme of geography. This poem tries to show what can happen to the sense of geography when the lights go out.

Brilliant Frank
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Thank you, Willow!
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Pleasure Frank 💜
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I like that final line – that sense of nothingness, but also the potential to be everywhere.
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It is also like being everywhere. Thank you, Sarah!
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Love this thought… the cave in darkness is larger than the sea, since when you are inside the cave you cannot see anything but its walls, but if you stand by the sea and turn around you cannot see the sea…
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It is like being tossed in a sea with no spatial dimensions. Thank you, Bjorn!
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brilliant, Frank. based on a single point of epiphany
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Wondefull cave!”Kentucky vanished, out of sight./This cave below became no place.”
Must have been a bit spooky too!
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If you can’t see the extent, does that mean it goes on forever?
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It felt like there was no where for it to go. But I suppose that could be going on forever. Thank you, Jane!
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🙂
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I am always amazed at spelunkers, and wonder what they would do if their flashlight goes out! Darkness crashes your face, I guess, and you’re no place. Wonderfully descriptive.
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I don’t think I could be a spelunker. Thank you, Beverly!
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This is wonderfully succinct and atmospheric, Frank! ❤️
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Thank you, Sanaa!
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I’m too claustophobic to enjoy cace walks. I am reminded of how much darker the night feels
when away from city lights; that masks even the stars.
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That’s true. If you are used to urban lights and go into the country at night it can be almost as black as that cave. I always carry a light with me, but I’m used to country evenings. This took it even further. Even the stars were gone and I didn’t bring a light. Thank you, Glenn!
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Absolutely loved this Frank !
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Thank you, Pragalbha!
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I really like the second and the last line as they both define the feeling thus experienced in such concrete terms — there are such geographic marvels that may make us question our own beliefs and our limited understanding of this planet.
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That experience did make me question my own beliefs about space. I learned to appreciate light after that. Thank you, Anmol!
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This as engaging Frank, enjoyed the dissppearing bluegrass state. Looks like Mammoth Cave?
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I think it was Mammoth Cave, but it has been a long time ago. Thank you, Rob!
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And what a revelation it is. I have been inside the cave and it is quite awe inspiring. Imagine to be there all in darkness, all the space just a deep void.
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For me it was a very strange experience. Thank you, Grace!
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Ah…what kind of darkness is that that all but disappeared? Here, darkness is not just a description but a force to be reckoned with.
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Yes, that darkness would be something real and not like a void that I felt. Thank you, Imelda!
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A scary but thrilling experience, so well conveyed it made my heart stop for a moment, Frank!
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It was thrilling although I am glad the guide quickly turned the lights back on. Thank you, Kim!
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Interesting concept in the last line to be anywhere. (Also scary.)
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I was kind of scary. One would have to feel one’s back back out if the lights did not go back on. Thank you, Merril!
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Yes, remember that soccer team trapped in the cave. I remember hearing someone talk about how they lose sense of time.
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I hadn’t thought about losing the sense of time passing. We only experienced the darkness for a few seconds, but I can see how that would happen also.
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Having been in several caves, including Mammoth, when the lights were turned out, I very much appreciate your putting an amorphous feeling into words. I was never able to do that. Of course, I was with my child, holding her hand, so there WAS a sense of place: My daughter’s hand. Brilliant poem!
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I can see how touching someone when that happens may keep the sense of place intact. Thank you, Marian!
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I have been in the dark in a cave, Frank, and I too found it creepy and a bit overwhelming.
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I only experienced it one time and I can’t forget the sensation. Thank you, Robbie!
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Caves are so amazing. We went into one in Texas on our honeymoon- it was incredible!
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They are unusual places. A world below us. Thank you, Linda!
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Yes!
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Darkness definitely alters geography. And inside a cave, even the shades of grey disappear. (K)
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It is total darkness. Thank you, Kerfe!
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Thank you, Mahiki!
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having spent more than a hundred hours caving I love nothing more than that embracing peace of total darkness … my favourite moment!
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It was peaceful, but very unusual. Thank you!
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you’re welcome
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All that vanishing space and crashing reality made me feel claustrophobic. I went into the Cango CAves in South Africa. The first time we crawled through tiny spaces the less than half a metre wide. And thoroughly enjoyed it. I returned more than ten years later, and I couldn’t even handle the much larger, tamer tours of the caves.
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It did make me feel claustrophobic. Thank you, Fatima!
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So True One
Light in a Cave
IS A GoD Send for Sure..:)
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One light would bring the space back. Thank you, Fred!
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Lit up Troll Cave Hehe..:)!
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