The Caves of Men

People laugh now at the lives of cavemen.
But at the time, we loved those caves.

A cave was safe, more or less,
once you cleaned out the animals
and built a gate at the entrance.
It kept out other clans, animals,
wind and rain and the fear
of a wide open sky.

A cave was warm, more or less,
once you built a fire, if,
that is, you knew how to make fire.
It made the food taste good
and was like a (mostly) friendly spirit,
a member of the family,
who inspired many stories,
dances, songs, legends.

The cave was comfortable, more or less,
with a few reeds on the floor
and a companion to share it with.
Add some kids to make it a home,
and a few paintings of your exploits
on the walls and it was a place
that held your best memories,
going back for ages.

A cave was pleasant, more or less,
if you ignored the smells
and the ghosts who joined you
in odd sounds and late nights,
and if you ignored the darkness
beyond the fire, and the smoke
everywhere.

Laugh at the cavemen if you will.
Then tell us about your caves.