bell witch cave

her voice was a flock of crows
when it cut through skin
& called us forward. outside, a rain 
made fresh the fields. we ran & dared
one another to enter the cave. 
to enter one another's mouths. i saw
your teeth like stalagtites & mites.
her voice was a bowl of spilled pears.
thunk thunk thunk along 
the cave floor. we followed the voice.
narrower & narrower. how deep
does your curiosity take you? i once
went into the attic alone & found 
an urn of my grandfather's ashes.
her him playing spoons for days after.
i was alone then in the darkness & the others 
were reflections in glossy rock.
smoothed by years of legend.
the witch's face inside my face.
one the ceiling. in the echo.
i thought of wandering in side
the chambers of a heart. 
prayed to dining room tables.
the belly of the sun. here everything
was made of nowhere. bundles of herbs
hung on the walls. her fingernails 
like walking sticks across my skin.
"come deeper," she begged.
i do not know how i found
my way out. knees in the gravel.
the others spitting quartz 
into the grass. the mouth of the cave
laughing & saying, "you should be
much more careful."