Swim Like You Mean It
Is the water cool?
What are those?
(swim paddles)
Why is the deep end so deep?
(There used to be a high dive)
Is the indoor pool shorter?
(Yes, by over half compared
to the outdoor pool)
Can you show me how to
do a flip turn?
Just some of the things
asked of me
at the
pool.
Swimming Weather
Why don’t
people
go out
in
the
R
A
I
N
to
swim?
It’s all water.
Skylight Swim Watch
I’m swimming
and I see a shadow
on the concrete wall
I think I’m just seeing things
shadows
as I alternate from free style
to backstroke to
breast stroke to
backstroke
but then I glance up at the skylight
as I’m taking my strokes
and see a man standing on the
roof in a red jacket and
orange knit cap
as he looks down and
watches me swim
I think so I’m not seeing
anything after all
and
then I think that’s so
weird to have someone
on the roof watching me
swim – I’ve had many people
watch me swim but never one
on the roof looking down
from a skylight
and then I keep going and
watch his shadow moving
against the white concrete wall
and then it is gone and I know
he has gone back to work
in the cold in the wind in
December all wrapped
up in his red coat and orange
knit cap and I bet he was
wishing he was inside
swimming
like
me
Alien Buddha Press 