When you are in the pool,
after the little warm up paddles you did
or maybe clumsy winter-just-got-over laps
or when you're just tossing that
ball around with your friends,
do this.
Take off the cap you've stuffed with hair in one brave sweep.
Pull off the goggles.
Set them next to the ladder, just for a minute.
Put that ball away.
Pull away from the crowd.
You just meant to sunbathe?
Never mind that, dive in now!
Steal more than a breath with the gulp of your mouth.
Before you think,
sink.
Calm down.
Don't breathe.
Make bubbles out of puffed up cheeks.
As slow as sleep, you open your eyes, narrow still
Let tendrils of your hair tickle.
Feel the water hug you tight.
The cool turned warmth
Reach a count
Or don't.
The surface pulls you anyway.
Come up, gasping spluttering, absolutely struggling.
Drink air before you start laughing.
Exhilarated.
Is what you feel.
