It was a time when underwater tea
parties and games of Marco Polo
motivated energetic kids on hot
summer days, long hours were spent
cooling off in swimming pools with
friends. I was there most days
playing along, except during camp.
Then I was a ballerina swimming
through the chlorinated water,
a naiad in her natural element.
Laying flat and moving my hands
in quick figure eight motions, I
floated atop the glassy surface.
Others beside me did the same;
lined up we looked like sardines
in a metal can. Yet we pointed
our toes and lifted our legs
performing adagios, battements
and pliés on our liquid stage,
swam as dolphins in underwater
circles and fancy flippy tricks
as the coach counted beats from
the sidelines swapping horseflies.
*
@laurie kolp
Prompt inspiration: Poetry Jam
Click here to read another piece on summer camp (revisiting the Rocky Horror Picture Show)... I've added pictures since I first posted.
14 comments:
I was never comfortable in the water so this would have been a nightmare for me. But you make it sound so cool & graceful!
Like Bug, I am not a water woman. I'm totally jealous of your obvious abilities ... great poem for the Jam.
I love the water, but not so good conforming. It sounds so lovely, though. Dancing in water.
It sounds cool and graceful!
Though I certainly wouldn't look like a ballerina, would love to dip my toes in a cool pool today! Loved this short summer memory from you, Laurie!
Wonderful poem -- cool, wet, lovely.
Easy to imagine - it brings back memories of other lost worlds.
Good summertime topic, well written.
Great imagery specially the last lines:
Yet we pointed
our toes and lifted our legs
performing adagios, battements
and pliés on our liquid stage,
swam as dolphins in underwater
circles and fancy flippy tricks
as the coach counted beats from
the sidelines swapping horseflies.
Happy sunday~
I can see this all so clearly! The images are great! Of course, if I had been there, I'd have been the sea cow amongst the naiads!
A wonderful memory of camp. When the boys were in the pool, their movements were called chaos.
you put us there...never a synch swimmer still i remember many days at the pool and marco polo for sure...ha...we just played that the other day and horse flies...oh my
"A naiad in her natural element" - a beautiful image!
A lovely entry for this week's Jam.
Oh, I have such a great memory of synchronized swimming in my junior high swimming class. My partner and I started laughing so hard, we almost drowned. But it must have looked completely different from the pool deck because our teacher gave us an A. hahahahahaha.... It still makes me giggle. :)
sweet.
well done.
bless you.
Post a Comment