The Mystery of the Caves

Catarina Sousa
Mr. Perez
AP English
21 November 2011

In the poem “Mysteries of the Caves,” by Michael Waters, the lost boy finds his way or a path threw a rough time. This path isn’t actual, nor is it said. But, by the title, the caves seem to explain different directions the boy could go. For example, the imagery in this poem tell the story about a boy experiencing traumatic events such a his parents getting into a gruesome argument or about his path towards heaven. The symbolism of light and as he approached it makes him suicidal with the though of dying as his way out. The cave of light will help him forget about the pain, making him numb enough to enjoy himself. Each stanza is a new cave that appears, but the fact that reaching for the light was the 2nd stanza, it seems that its what approached his mind more quickly like the first resort.
In the book, the lost boy could be talking about could actually stand for a letter that his mother wrote him while he was too little to remember anything. The letter could be lengthy, being referred to as a book, explains the relationship between the mother and the father. The lost boy, is probably just looking for his mother in heaven, trying to feel a mother’s warmth, rather than be so lonely. He wants to find home, and home traditionally is with a family, that’s what he really is craving at this point in his life. The only person that could bring him home now is his imagination where he can picture the past and remember now that all is said and done, he needs to move on and find himself.