{"id":18364,"date":"2025-01-28T15:20:51","date_gmt":"2025-01-28T21:20:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/?p=18364"},"modified":"2025-01-31T15:26:56","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T21:26:56","slug":"lets-go-for-a-walk-into-the-cave-you-do-you-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2025\/01\/28\/lets-go-for-a-walk-into-the-cave-you-do-you-do\/","title":{"rendered":"Let&#8217;s Go for a Walk, Into the Cave, &amp; You Do You Do"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-large-font-size\"><strong>Let&#8217;s Go For a Walk, Into the Cave, &amp; You Do You Do<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-765c4724 wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-facebook  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61556140010887\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n\n<li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/boudin_mcneese\/\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Ashley Hudson<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:25px\"><strong>Let&#8217;s Go for a Walk<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Lately we are convincing<br>our friends not to be so cruel<br><br>to themselves. The magnolias<br>dropping their annoying<br><br>empty cups.<br><br>The tiny cactus giving over<br>one invisible briar.<br><br>We come to the place where<br>the over-sized dog statue<br><br>showcases his immense<br>iron testicles<br><br>immortal in aggression.<br><br>Why do lovers leave<br>with roughly one half<br><br>our memories? Tell me<br>where do I find the lawn<br><br>with so many children<br>I can feel relieved?<br><br>In the still life, we appear<br><br>stiff as criminals with<br>dubious, sinful bouquets.<br><br>The little red hen<br>sings a long high note<br><br>from her immaculate pen.<br><br>How do we convince one another<br>we are not so terribly alone?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:25px\"><strong>Into the Cave<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The cave is arrogant, but we enter it anyway.<br>Less about the lustily smeared handprints<br>than it is to be inside and know its memories<br>are not of you.<br><br>The cave is righteous, but we enter it anyway.<br>Though it has never known the sun, it disdains<br>any show of light. Naturally, we begin to doubt<br>we ever longed for vision, and in this way<br><br>we become translucent like the shrimp,<br>and in this way we learn the architecture<br>of constant doubt. The cave wanted us,<br><br>and we entered, forgetting to take one last look<br>at one another, forgetting to make a plan<br>or imagine a map, a secret code, a word<br>to force us to recall the sweet features<br><br>of our faces before the black absence<br>licked the color from our eyes<br>and no amount of reaching<br>would ever find us hand in hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:25px\"><strong>You Do You Do<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The innards of the tree are green. Wood grown as a wall<br>framing the rocking chair, the cedar chest,<br>the lace tablecloth, the little table in the hall<br>propping a picture of tall dead trees.<br><br>Face aching against a windowpane<br>still cool from winter,<br>this first spring storm.<br><br>The flowers will be happy. Wind pulls<br>the daisy petals. Love and love-not,<br>three miles apart, the same muddy road.<br>The lightning will kill two cows<br><br>full of milk. The lightning will scorch your image<br>on the pane. Our first handshake,<br>two pitchers of rain dancing coyly.<br><br>Thunder takes the floor for splinters<br>of dry geometry. Something outside<br>is crying. The howl of a wolf proves<br>you still love me.<br><br>If a squirrel crosses the clothesline,<br>you still love me. If clothes drip from hems, if<br>a stray thread catches that drop,<br><br>you still love me. If metal poles attract lightning, if<br>lightning moves in lines, if<br>rain-soaked socks turn to fire, if<br>ashes rise, float over here, settle,<br><br>stick to this windowpane you still love oh dear spine of lightning<br>blood rushing hair standing on end you do<br>you do still love me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">__________<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Ashley Hudson&#8217;s<\/strong> writing has appeared in <em>The Fairy Tale Review, Columbia: A Journal of Literature and Art<\/em>, <em>The Southeast Review<\/em>, <em>Anomalous<\/em>, <em>Verse Daily<\/em>, and elsewhere. She received her MFA in creative writing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She currently teaches at Rice University and lives in Portland, Oregon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>__________<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1.jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/01\/boudin-logo-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">\ud83e\udca0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2025\/01\/28\/dismissed\/\">Back<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/2025\/01\/28\/alpine-clutch-grief-hallucinations\/\">Next<\/a> \ud83e\udca1<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">To learn more about submitting your work to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/boudin-submissions\/\">Boudin<\/a><\/em> or applying to McNeese State University&#8217;s Creative Writing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/mfa-application-submissions\/\">MFA program<\/a>, please visit Submissions for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Let&#8217;s Go For a Walk, Into the Cave, &amp; You Do You Do Ashley Hudson __________ Let&#8217;s Go for a Walk Lately we are convincingour friends not to be so cruel to themselves. The magnoliasdropping their annoying empty cups. The tiny cactus giving overone invisible briar. We come to the place wherethe over-sized dog statue&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[222],"tags":[75,77,145,18],"class_list":["post-18364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-winter-extravaganza","tag-boudin","tag-mcneesereview","tag-poetry-2","tag-poetry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18364"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18749,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18364\/revisions\/18749"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcneese.edu\/thereview\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}