Swimming

The sun cuts like a knife

through the watery surface

 and the bottom of the pool suddenly

becomes a place where

brilliant diamond-shapes

come to dance.

someone calls my name from

across a vast expanse

and i leap unabashedly into the atmosphere

secure in the knowledge

of being caught.

Because i am little i do not feel

the iciness of the water as it hits my skin,

for i am wearing an imaginary cape

(if you didnt notice)

I do not taste the salty chlorine,

for i still have remnants

of hot dog stuck in my teeth.

I can't feel the sting of water

going up my nose

for ive learned enough to

hold

my

breath

upon

impact.

Inhaling deeply i lie on my back
pretending to be a dead log.

The balloons of air tucked deep in my stomach

will be my secret supply of oxygen.

i push my belly above the surface

showing the birds and squirrels

my neat trick

If i wanted

I could roll around in any formation,

wiggling my toes

and somersaulting into oblivion and

watch the blue underwater world spin

round and round like the dryer.

So when did i learn fear?

today

i rip the plasticy smelling water wings

off my arms

and step to the edge of the world

and i dont care
if someone is there to catch me

when i leap into the air

because i remember now

what i once knew as a small child:

that

i

can

float.