The taste of chlorine
The heat of the pool
The loudness of my breath underwater
Then, gasping for air
The only one there
But for the fit lifeguard
Watching this poor woman
Pretend she knows how to swim
But I pretend
Twenty-five meters breaststroke
Twenty-five meters breaststroke
Twenty-five meters breaststroke
Twenty-five meters front crawl
Why does that one make me feel like I’ll drown?
Try again
Someone else in the pool
They go twenty-five meters backstroke
Twenty-five meters front crawl
Repeat
Repeat
When I was young I won a blue ribbon
For my backstroke during summer swim team
Now I wouldn’t dare
I’ll break my head on the edge of the pool
And that poor lifeguard
Will have to watch me pretend
That nothing is wrong
I get in at 6:08 am
I get out at 6:38 am
I swim without stopping
But the only ache is in my neck
I must be doing it wrong
Try again, try again.
With Love,
Natalie