Cave Of Words

by James Gardner
(Woodland Hills, CA USA)

Cave of Words

In a small room next to the service porch
I have a cave.

The cave has a view of an ivy-covered wall and several trash bins from
The city’s recycling program – blue, green and black

In a small room next to the service porch
I have a cave

This room is where words are stored
Over here on this wall are peaceful words that calm

Down here are words of sorrow and over there are attack words
Waiting like snarling dogs to hurt and bite

Some words are billowy and sort of float about
Often having to be gently pushed aside

Some are stubborn and won’t get out of the way

All these words are waiting and wanting to be used


They are all over the room, up and down the walls, some
On the floor and a whole lot of them
on the ceiling so when you

Can’t think of anymore words to write you lean back in your chair and
Look up

Hoping a word will drop off right into the sentence you are
Putting together lego like, one block at a time,

Sometimes one does.