Waiting quietly in line at the age of nine
Wet hair clinging to nervous skin
Remembering previous summers
Past attempts I failed to swim
To pass you must bring yourself
To the water trampoline and back to the dock
Then tread water for thirty seconds
By then arms feel like rocks
My friends wished me luck
Before into the water I leapt
Pushed my muscles through the cold
As I surfaced from the murky depths
I reached the looming yellow island
Turned around, feet on the ladder, and kicked
I used that small bit of extra momentum
To keep paddling though lungs constrict
When I find myself back at the wooden dock
Then final countdown starts
Each cell in my body is aching
This is the last and hardest part
Fighting with the freezing lake
The test is nearly done
Just as I am about to give up
5..4..3..2..1!
Dec 3, 2019
Dec 3, 2019 at 11:03 AM UTC
Waiting quietly in line at the age of nine
Wet hair clinging to nervous skin
Remembering previous summers
Past attempts I failed to swim
To pass you must bring yourself
To the water trampoline and back to the dock
Then tread water for thirty seconds
By then arms feel like rocks
My friends wished me luck
Before into the water I leapt
Pushed my muscles through the cold
As I surfaced from the murky depths
I reached the looming yellow island
Turned around, feet on the ladder, and kicked
I used that small bit of extra momentum
To keep paddling though lungs constrict
When I find myself back at the wooden dock
Then final countdown starts
Each cell in my body is aching
This is the last and hardest part
Fighting with the freezing lake
The test is nearly done
Just as I am about to give up
5..4..3..2..1!
Day 20: write a narrative poem about a childhood memory
Mine is about passing the swim test at bible camp and being allowed in the deep part of the lake
Request permission to use this poem