Candle lit walls glow soft, warm in

cream color,  aged etchings carved

deep.  Mystical teachings, stories of

the people, this place, this cave

not of the underground.

One can walk the tunnel corridors

with ease, no fear of crowding.  A

woman works diligently applying a

protective coating over the wall’s

carvings.  The coating goes onto

the walls filling carvings, the spots it

flows into look bronze, shiny like

metal from an ancient disc.  A tugging

on the woman’s sleeve bids her to pull

away.  The woman is told she must

leave, it is no longer safe to remain

she refuses, she must finish this

task before the waters come.  If she

doesn’t finish, all will be destroyed

everything lost.  Who will then

teach the children, if it remains there

will be a record.  The voice says

if this place survives the opposition

will destroy it anyway.  Others want a

new way, one for themselves not the

people.  For a moment she stops, a vision

of elder men in white belted robes sitting

talking, hair long, groomed beards sparkle

silver white sweeps across her mind.  Men

on grey marble benches and grey marble

long tables line the entrance to this

chamber.  There is an opening where a

fountain gurgles while bright colored birds

flit about exotic foliage. She looks back at

the wall, a sadness invades the feel of

urgency.  The air smells fresh, clean with

a hint of moisture  foreign to this place. 

Hearing a voice, a rustle, something

like the sound of a prayer in her, she turns

to look down the corridor.  There

where light meets shadow

a woman  sits lotus style, mid air

her hands together as in prayer.  A

golden glow surrounds her, her hair

is tied back at the neck, the color of jet

her skin the color of maple and honey

her eyes, large, deep amber.  A serene

smile tilts the corners of pomegranate

lips.  Her blouse, a lemon yellow, it’s

over cover a sheer sun yellow edged with

crimson.  A girl child stands beside her holding

a bowl.  Calmness permeates the air, she is gone

in her place on the cavern’s floor lay a circular

shinning plate, ancient are the symbols as they

shimmer briefly hues of purple and peacock.