It’s Free Write Friday (okay, I’m a couple of days late).
Time, once again, to let loose the imagination.
Here’s the prompt …
Here’s my response …
The Dark Place
What fun
To step into the dark
For just a
Moment.
To sense with open
Mind and heart
Another world unfamiliar.
Through the veil of my
Fear into the dark place
I am led.
Black as black can
Be, My hand before my
Face I cannot see.
My breath I
Cannot find as
Oppressive air a
Smothering cloak
Arrests me.
Disoriented eyes beg for
Light; for escape.
Fun becomes overwhelm
Becomes fear becomes
Panic becomes
“Let me out of here!”
I do not belong
In this dark place.
“Let me out … please!
Let me out!”
*
A voice. A guiding
Hand.
“Come, follow me.”
Trust I must.
And to the light
Once more am led.
Beyond the heavy
Shadow of my doubt …
And breathe.
~*~
Comment
What fun, I thought, to dine in the pitch dark.
The concept was intriguing.
Dans Le Noir is a novelty restaurant with locations in several major cities worldwide. When we were in Paris a few years ago we thought it would be fun to have a culinary experience where the enjoyment of the food is enhanced by the fact you cannot see it.
Check your phones and digital watches, cameras, etc. at the door, enjoy a glass of champagne, select your menu option and form a human chain to be lead through several layers of heavy drapes to absolute dark by a visually-impaired, i.e. blind, waiter.
Not a speck of light, anywhere.
I lasted less than a minute. Didn’t even make it to my seat. Claustrophobia swarmed me almost immediately and I had to be led out again.
I recovered my dignity, and ate alone, in a fully lit bar while my husband and his daughter enjoyed (endured) the experience without me.
Like all writers worth their salt I immediately wrote my experience and feelings down on a bar napkin, filling every scrap of space with imprints of my terror, panic, relief and a, yes, food review.
Do I fear the night? The dark?
Hmmm … I believe it would be more appropriate to say I embrace the light. 😉
Thanks for visiting,
Dorothy
~*~
©Dorothy Chiotti, Aimwell CreativeWorks 2013
Shedding Light on the Family Tree 
Excellent! Mesmerizing -both the poetry and the prodse.
Thank you … 🙂
Like you I would prefer to eat in the light – even if it is the soft glow of candle light.
There was not even a pin prick of light in that room. It was quite disorienting. Dinner by candlelight is much more my style too … 😉
Dorothy — this was stunning … I embrace the dark and would love to try this novel dining experience — I have seen them on food programs and think they would be so much fun!!!
If you are comfortable in the dark than you’d probably find it to be terrific fun. I hope you have a chance to try it one day. You could write about it from a different perspective than my own … 😉
Again Dorothy, this was amazing as always! Your poem from the first line > What fun
To step into the dark…
You lead me on a journey I will not soon forget especially how the fun turned to terror. The restaurant dark theme is intriguing but I agree with you about embracing the light especially when we are surrounded by dark.
Thank you for sharing!!!
Thanks, Mark! I’m glad you got something out of this.I could philosophize all day about this topic alone. 😉 … Once again a great challenge from you!!! Be well, Dorothy 🙂
How liberating it must feel to finally give voice to the darkness. Eating in total darkness? Um, probably if it was finger food. I would not enjoy bumping into anything jelled while unable to see, lol.
Thanks, Charly. It was the most total darkness I’d ever experienced. Usually wherever we are there is some source of light that provides reference ~ even the stars in the sky. But in this room there was nothing. Not even a speck of light from a door way. … And, the thing about any finger food in the dark is you still have to be able to locate it on a plate. Hmm … that would be a very tactile experience indeed. 😉
Excellent post! Your discomfort was vivid throughout the poem. Nicely done!
Thank you! 🙂