Tuesday, January 5, 2010

I Had a Dream



                                    Bar Beach; New South Wales

SCENIC SUNDAY
http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/2010/01/scenic-sunday-78.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FVKGn+%28Scenic+Sunday%29
SHOW YOUR WORLD
http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-world-tuesday-season-2-episode-13.html

I HAD A DREAM!

We used to swim every morning;
Not in an athletic way,
Let it be said!
*
We swam like two old codgers
Brought up in inland Britain.
Our childhood memories of the sea
Were painted grey.
And chilly.
*
Swimming-pools
Didn't enter our equation.
*
On my local Australian beach
Doggy-paddling was my forte.
I was admired
For my cheerful flop and splash.
(Not really!)
*
But oh the bliss of it!
The green water
Patterned with hexagons.
The blue sky.
The fresh breeze.
The grace
Of a body under-water.
*
The tingling skin
As we walked home
Under an increasingly ferocious sun.
*
This was what I dreamed of during English winters!
Not many people
Have dreams come true!
*
Somehow
As the years have advanced,
And the body has sagged
More and more,
We have let the habit sag too.
*
We no longer swim.
*
But the dream
Is still on my doorstep.
A short walk to the sea
And it's all there.
*
Just not for me.
*

A different view of Australian beach culture here:
http://rinklyrimes.blogspot.com/2008/06/18-nelsons-name.html



18 comments:

geraldgee said...

Thats cruel for us in freezing England BB!

LadyFi said...

Great poem! And definitely time to take up your dream again!

Dave King said...

Oh, I did enjoy this - it took me back to my school days and the competiton for The Cock House Cup. Everyone had to participate in all its aspects. I couldn't swim, so I dived for my house - from the top board. (My splash wasn't admired, either.) Thanks for that.

Margaret Gosden said...

Yes, get back into the water - it will do you the world of good!

Hootin Anni said...

What a great poem!! And lovely photo.

My Ruby Tuesday is posted HERE --scroll down below the Heads or Tails Meme to find it tho!

Happy day to you.

kenju said...

Thanks so much for the visit and comment. I will poke around here for a while. We have a pool and we still don't swim!

The Good Life in Virginia said...

the poem captured perfectfully the plight of us over-50s and our not doing the things we used to love to do. perhaps it is time we charged back in full throttle.
happy new year
enjoyed your post.

Sylvia K said...

Yes, another great one, Brenda! Ah, it will be warm here again -- some day!!

Hope your year is off to a great start!

Sylvia

Ginny Hartzler said...

I can see and feel everything you experienced from reading this poem. The water, the tingling skin, the hot sun. It is wonderful. It does have a rather sad ending, but often as we have to give up certain things in our lives, others come to replace them. "a time for everything under Heaven..."

Three Rivers, Michigan said...

Wonderful poem.


(Go for a swim anyway!)

Three Rivers Daily Photo

Lianne said...

seems like great day at the beach :)

leethroughthelens.blogspot.com

Marie said...

A great scenery. Thanks for sharing.

Jane said...

Thats a great photo, sure wish I was there right now. Thanks for sharing Brenda:)

Unknown said...

Hi Brenda
A fantastic photo.
Hope you are having a nice weekend, Ev

eileeninmd said...

Wonderful poem and photo! Thank you for sharing.

Unknown said...

Well you had your dream come true for awhile, at least. At this pont in winter, I would be pleased to feel the warm summer sun on my body and walk up to my angles in the sea. :)

nice A said...

Lovely photo & poem!

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

beautiful poem,

Australia has so many beaches and surf, but some stupid people don't follow the rules and swim between the flags.

So sad so many drownings.