Swimming Lessons

The stench

of armbands

is a part of my skin

now that I’ve been sporting

them for so long

Like stabilisers on a bike,

after a while it feels more

natural to have four wheels

instead of two. You can ride

without the fear of falling,

but you don’t get to know the

breeze that

hugs your body

as you swerve

around a bend.

It is easier to sit

cross-legged

on the tiles

so that the ceramic

grooves imprint in

red on your ankles,

like an embroidered

pattern of reminders

sewn into your skin,

your own inabilities

worn like socks.

But it’s icy at the edge of the pool.

I don’t want to drown

but

I’d like to know that I could.

Release me

allow me to become the

ocean storms, the salty air,

sting my eyes open with

streams of experience,

pain is worth the

possibility,

Because then,

at least I’d know

how it would feel

to be able to swim.