The Path Will Light

Grew a look, contentious, on his face.

As he approached the cave at a cautious pace.

Atop the entrance, the words were carved:

"Inside, from light, you will be starved."

As an experienced spelunker, he clutched his pack,

And let the mouth take him, not looking back.

The reality of darkness indeed had him haunted

Because the deeper he ventured, the more he wanted.

Soon, he read to himself a small wooden sign,

After lighting a match and reading it fine:

"Caverns approach, but not in sight...

In the room that awaits, the path will light."

His small flame then bid him adieu,

As he forwardly crept; expectations askew.

Before making it far, he started to fear

That the caverns, past-mentioned, were drawing too near.

Stopping dead in his tracks, he traveled no further,

Then lifted a leg with uncertain fervor;

And hoping, as promised, the path would light,

Moved his leg forward, but refused to take flight.

Of course, nothing happened, to his dismay,

So in his great wisdom, he tried other ways.

Try as he would, it seemed none of his wit

Would cause this so-called path to be lit.

Then sighing deep, and with a little prayer,

Lifted his foot again, hovered in the air.

And with a weighty lean, he did embark,

Unsure of the outcome, into the dark.

And just as he felt that all was lost,

That the first step failed his pathway crossed,

A single beacon, bright and sure,

Lit his landing place quite secure.

Relief was his reward, repetition: his process,

For he knew of no other way to cross this.

Relying fully on the light to show,

Action and faith revealed where to go.

At the end of the trek, two torches ignited,

His senses, with him, had been reunited.

Carved now on the cave, as appeared in the wall,

The strongest of messages compared to them all:

"This trial of wonder, what does it mean?

The proof of the faith is in the lean."

"And whether or not you know it is right,

Just take a step, and the path will light."

-Cale Kenneth Montoya (12-03-22)