It’s been a while since I’ve shared a poem. I have been writing them, usually when I go to the Thursday morning poetry group, but I don’t always go. This one has been kicking around for over a year. I started it when I taught The Joyful Partnership of Poetry & Memoir workshop for Tweetspeak. I recently shared it with another poetry class, and they seemed to think it was done. So it’s all yours, world.
Morning Swim
thank you, Maxine Kumin, for the title
Drove to the pool in the dark
like usual
started laps like usual but
the swim team that splashes beside me
makes waves into my miniscule laps
wasn’t in the lane wasn’t
even in the pool hadn’t jumped yet
was still on deck still in Speedos
hugging, crying
even the boys
The coach said
We don’t know why things happen.
We think we know a person but we never do.
So let’s get in the pool. Swim our 300.
Nineteen teenagers jumped
splashed forward
made waves
