It’s Poetry Friday and I am thinking – a lot – about swimming. This is, in part, because in two days I will be participating in the Busselton Jetty Swim, an annual swim around a mile-long jetty. I’ve written about that swim before here. This year will be my seventh time.
I’ve always been a swimmer – I learnt to swim on family holidays by the beach, and in our local swimming pool which, conveniently, was in the street where I lived in a town called Collie. As soon as I was old enough I joined the Collie Swimming Club – starting in Tadpoles and working my way through to being part of the main group and even, at one stage, club captain.
I was a good swimmer – never the best in the club, nor in my age group, but good enough to compete. And I loved it. I loved the feeling of being in the water, and I loved belonging to a swimming club.
When I left school I thought I was too old to be in a club, so my swimming changed to being for leisure, but when I moved back to to the country, I went back to lap swimming whenever time allowed. Then, six or seven years ago, I realised that if I was ever going to fulfil a goal I had of swimming in the annual jetty swim, I’d better get serious.
So I joined the local Masters Swimming Club, put an entry in for the race, and got training. One of the best things I ever did! Since then I have swum each year in that race, but I’ve also rediscovered the absolute joy of swimming. I train with the club when I can, at the pool or at the beach, and I swim by myself other times.
Do I break records? Nope. Do I come out of the water with a big smile on my face? Almost every time. Because for me swimming is not just exercise – it’s therapy. It doesn’t matter how busy I am in my work life, or how worried I am about my family, or how many rejections I’ve had for my writing, or how many deadlines I have – when I am in the water, there is only me, and the water. Of course, when I’m swimming with my clubmates and friends, I’m not truly alone – and when we stop I adore being with them, and laughing and talking about life or empathising about sore muscles – but when I’m actually swimming, it’s just me and the sea (or the pool, but that doesn’t rhyme so well).
I’ve been trying to capture that feeling in a poem. Here’s it’s current form.
Me and the Sea
Splash!
I’m in
And
Stroking
Stroking
Stroking.
Turn head
Breath in
Turn back
Breathe out
And
Stroke
Stroke
Stroke
Breathe in
And out
And stroke
And kick.
There is no one else here
Just me
And the sea
Washing tension from my body
Washing turmoil
From my brain
Stroke
Stroke
Stroke
I am free.
I am me.
(Copyright Sally Murphy 2023)
And here’s a poem I wrote about the jetty (and shared here before) that I wrote before I ever swam around it. You can see just what a magnificent structure it is.
Not every one’s a swimmer – but I think most people have something they do that really gives them joy, even if it isn’t always easy. I’d love to hear about yours!
In the meantime I am off to find more joy by reading the poetry of my Poetry Friday friends. Carol has the roundup this week.
Hi again Sally. You might find this happy little song interesting, given your swimming passion.
https://youtu.be/XOnqh7LplTs
Love it Alan! Thanks for sharing.
Methinks today was the day of your jetty swim, Sally. And you’ve probably got jelly legs. And a massive feeling of accomplishment. 🏊♀️
It was indeed, Kat. And I came home exhausted but feeling, as you predicted, accomplished.
Good Luck! I love swim as well. It’s wonderful to only be swimming, counting strokes…that’s it. I love to swim after work. Your poem is great. It captures that feeling of being in the swim moment.
Thanks Linda. I think next time I swim I’ll be thinking of all my PF friends whoa re also swimmers.
I did enjoy swimming when I did it regularly==early mornings at the pool, the rhythm of strokes and breathing, the camaraderie of those of us who met up at the pool. I miss it (and when the weather warms up should make a habit of swimming in our pond). Your poem captures that feeling.
I have a sister who swims almost every day, too. What a peaceful way to both exercise and meditate. I find a similar feel on my road bike – usually drafting behind my husband’s tire. Same sore muscles and satisfied exhaustion when we end our ride.
P.S. I loved listening to you speak your poem/video. It’s so fun to hear a voice – and of course I blanked about it being a lovely Aussie lilt. )
Thanks Patricia. I love to ride too, but am less serious about it because swimming and beach walking take up most of my exercise time. If only there were more hours!
I’ve done a couple of open water swims, but lakes. I’ve never swum in the ocean. My body doesn’t allow long distance swimming any more, but I refuse to give up the pool altogether. I’m addicted to that feeling of just me and the water, the breathing and the movement. Best wishes for your jetty swim! You’re taking me along with you!
I’ve never done an open water swim in a lake, though when I was a child we swam in one regularly – it was actually a disused old cola mine which had naturally filled with water and I adored swimming there. Glad you are a fellow swimmer 🙂
You capture the solitude of being alone, swimming in the sea. How wonderful that you reconnected with swimming as an adult!
Thank you Laura!
I had trouble connecting with your webpage last week, Sally, so I’m pleased to get here this week. Your connection to swimming and its historical links is well documented. I understand the therapeutic connection to this. For me, it’s cooking. I like the appearance of your poem with its sleek shape and use of repetition. It glides smoothly down the page. You are refreshed and renewed by the watery world. You have captured your swimming experience so comprehensively with a minimum of words.
Thank you for your lovely feedback Alan. Sorry you had trouble accessing my site – I did have some hosting issues, that took a little work to resolve.
Sally, My husband is a swimmer and always has been. He turned 60 this year and is still in great shape because of his swimming. In fact, we just returned from vacation, where he kept up his swimming in Smith Bay near the Caribbean Sea! He enjoys it as you do! I think he likes the mental relaxation of it as well. I am not a swimmer, but I love to garden and be in nature. Almost anytime I walk in the forest I emerge with a big smile on my face, feeling refreshed – even if it’s sub-zero out. This was a fun post thanks for sharing it and good luck with your jetty swim!
Wow, Sally! Swimming around that jetty seems like a challenge to me. It does feel good to swim and I admire you so much that you are doing this. Love your poetry video and your skinny poem and the ending, “I am free/ I am me.”
So wonderful, Sally! I missed the jetty poem before and loved seeing the images and hearing the words here. Congrats on your grit – I love how you’ve highlighted the joy of being in the water, competition or no. Took me back to my childhood/teen days splashing in the ocean and feeling that it was glorious swimming past the breakers, just me – and that sea – and God!
Of course, on the Weather Channel app a week or so ago “my” beach, New Smyrna Beach just 45 minutes or so from Orlando, was named the deadliest beach in the US (shark attacks/hurricanes), so there’s that… :0! I’d be a little more cautious today, I guess. But I’d still go in. Thanks for the post, and best wishes for your next jetty swim!
Yes, as we get older we do learn a bit about danger and caution. As a child there was no sense of the ocean being dangerous at all. I wonder if my parents spent the whole trip worrying about us on our behalf.
Sally,,
always remember you swimming in our school carnivals and always wishing I could swim just as well. So happy for you to have got back into fulfilling your passions.
We all have our God given talents and I realise mine isn’t swimming 😉
Best of luck for the jetty swim. Hope all the weather conditions are perfect for you and your fellow swimmers.
With much love and lots of hugs
Mel ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Thank you my friend. I remember admiring your courage in learning to swim, especially after being with you on that excursion when you could have drowned. To still get back in the water and keep learning was amazing!
I remember your sharing before. And I love “just me and the sea”. I am not a great swimmer, but the feeling in the ocean when I get there and swim parallel to the beach, sometimes looking down. the feeling is there, too. I love reading about your journey to this, too, Sally. Best wishes this next time!
It’s a magical feeling when it happens, Linda. Thanks for the wishes.
Sally, I especially loved your poem and video poem because it deals with swimming, a sport my son loves. As a child he came home with many medals in the Games for the Physically Challenged. Now, as an adult he swim over a hundred laps per session. The lines of your poem that resonated with me are:
Washing tension from my body
Washing turmoil
From my brain
I know my son would agree with your reflection. Congratulations on your swimming accomplishments. It is so good to have you back with us this week.
Wonderful, right here with you splashing!💦
As someone who came to swimming later than you usually do in Australia, it’s always been a love/fear battle.
Best of luck this weekend! 🏊♀️
Thank you my friend. We need to swim together some time!
Thank you Carol. I am glad it resonated with you, and love hearing about your son’s accomplishments.
And it’s good to be back. Poetry Friday is a lot like swimming!