Speedo Second Thoughts

Jean writes housing letters

In Franklin Gothic Heavy

her meek voice scared and shouting.

She is sorry for apologising

every -second -word.

 

Serena skirts the edges

paraphrasing her distance.

Hesitantly hesitating

In case she gets it wrong.

 

We all have our quirks here:

Doreen perches on the side

Takes jerky strides

then eases herself into

chlorine ripples,

wades half way

before stretching and kicking

 

Derek preps on the side

proudly puffing

and buffering himself up:

a blow fish

about to bubble-

 

His belly flop

is the best I've seen

 

Margo swims

the lengths of loneliness.

alone.

unsecured in her insecurity

and uncomfortable in her discomfort

she swims to the tune of escape.

Eager to return

even before she leaves

 

 

Sally shorts strolls the sidelines

Thinking of Saturday plans with Jake.

Her sighs ripple the water

she checks her watch-(its not waterproof)

Its gold and new.

I check her bottom.

It isn't resistant to my look

It's young and firm

absorbs my gaze lazily

 

Malcolm's melody plays

where he stands-

in the middle

amongst thrashing waves

with an air of the

vulnerable and brave.

Every week for ten years

he hears the splashing of others strokes

the echo of their cries.

 

When we ask lifeguards if he's okay,

We mean he's... in our way.

 

Our questions are lies.

 

I'm sorry Malcolm

The middle is yours

Its yours

Ten years...

It is yours

 

Helen comes with her social worker

who's all brief case and cold shoulder,

wants to smoulder but she's too stiff.

Helen tells me

'14 lengths every swim

and I'm shattered'.

I'm happy I nattered to her

 

Then there's Jill

on the pill and pregnant.

Doesn't want to grow stagnant

with her expanding girth.

thinks natural birth is for suckers

and hippies.

Thinks cellulite is

something you

spread on your toast

 

We are all here

making the most

of it.

 

Telling the world to

shove it

taking a day off

avoiding sorting the loft

 

striving to be free