it was summer and we were at a beautiful state park with a cave
inside the cave it was cool and dark, and water covered our feet and drops of it
fell on our heads as we walked deeper inside – I held onto your belt loop
the ground was slippery, the others around us shined flashlights and a little boy
was afraid, his father’s soothing words echoed, some teenagers ran ahead, then we saw
sunlight and knew we had made it through – relieved laughter bubbled
photos by Lisa Paul
Copyright ©2026 Lisa Paul. All rights reserved.
Written in response to Wea’ve Written Weekly, hosted by Nolcha
Nolcha’s prompt: Cherita
Cherita is the Malay word for story or tale.
A traditional cherita unfolds in three verses, each growing in length:
- Verse 1: one line
- Verse 2: two lines
- Verse 3: three lines
You’re also welcome to rearrange the order of the verses. Any of these patterns work:
- 1–3–2
- 2–1–3
- 2–3–1
- 3–1–2
- 3–2–1
Your challenge: Write a cherita inspired by one, two, or all of the following themes:
- Cave
- Special delivery
- Missing road sign
Let the structure guide the story—and see where it takes you.
A Little Bit of Everything, With Love 