step up

take your mark

BLEEP

every muscle clenches

recoils

a giant spring

I’m in the air

a multicolored

Bullet

fingers first

toes last

into the Water


COLD

shocks me into response

Swim

faster, faster

go

Go

GO


the Wall

a flip-turn

streamline past the flags

don’t breathe out of the turn

keep moving forward

arms churning, gliding, reaching

feet kicking the water white

the Other Wall

flip again


half-way done

the water rushing past me

got to keep breathing

keep going

pushing

just

that

M

U

C

H

further...

another breath

head underwater

keep going

you still have

a turn

and another length

of the pool


you can do it

go

the world’s upside

POMU

another spring

pushes me

off

the Wall

arms flying

feet like motors

on

a

boat


keep me going

faster

almost there

reaching further

out-touch

get to the Other Wall


SLAM


the time is good

I’m

so

exhausted

completely

dead

as I
high-5
my friend
over the
lane rope.
"Again?"
"Again."