the waiting is the poem, listen more, speak less, pray when you need to, sometimes every morning when it is still & dark, stretch, read, meditate, swim in cold water, eat chocolate when you need to, remember -they are not thinking about you, breathe deeply near tall trees, let go & let god, love, love is all you need, repeat the words of dead singers, but give them credit (john lennon), cry when you need to, especially when you realize time goes by too fast, savor the moments, forgive yourself for using words like savor, be alone, but not lonely, create something, tell the truth, but not all the time.
Tag: Swimming
Manor Beach
Our coastal adventure has begun! We will be traveling the California Coast from Ocean Beach, San Francisco, to San Diego, exploring beaches and various places in segments, until we have driven/swam the entire coastline!
Faraglioni
Indian Springs: Calistoga
The Tree I Swim Under
While You Are Watching Netflix
he is pondering the sound of crickets, he swims outside every night, listening to the rubbing of wings, chirps, we call them, mating sounds, darkness attraction, he has noticed the transition from october to december, dissipating insects, a little less with each cold night, moon fattens, sheds light, then gradually disappears, grows full again, & all the while you are indoors, scrolling through trending & top picks for you, top 10 movies, looking for answers, a way to kill time, exist, alone, or with ice cream, your screen escape, watching drama, violence, comedy, night after night, hoping for something good, something that matters, meanwhile, he’s outside contemplating dusk, counting stars as they appear in the sky, you ask, why? he pauses to reflect, each evening is different, is his reply.
Leaves In The Pool
Perfect Days In Spain
summer of 1995 & college is over, a career does not yet exist, i’m living in moraira, spain, on the coast, day begins in love, warm croissants, plums, squeezed orange juice, mediterranean lingering in the distance, watery dream, one mile winding walk to the beach, a 20 minute swim, fish market, vegetables, baguette, bottle of wine, international herald tribune, stroll back to the house, lunch might be paella or tortilla espańola, time is no matter, read the whole paper, every word, then, perhaps some faulkner, light in august or absalom, absalom!, open journal, write about a fictitious future, ideas, stories, nothing at all, afternoon becomes evening, stars, paco de lucia playing guitar on cassette, intertwined night, soft sheets, sound of crashing waves, morning sunlight rays, repeat, day after day.
Cold Water Swimming & Coyotes
swimming centers me, fallen japanese maple leaves sink in water, nestle between my toes, stick to shoulders, i am a leaf magnet, like the man feeding pigeons in central park, the tree likes me, i think, gifts from above, cold water thoughts, staring at stars, nameless constellations, pump arms and legs harder, keep the heart moving blood to numb fingers, i have a rock on pool’s ledge for coyotes, but i would never throw anything, maybe splash or yell, coyotes won’t visit, worries disappear, this is a good night.
Cold Water Swimming
thought about buying a wetsuit, but after research and experimentation i’ve come to learn that i can swim/tread water all winter in northern california without a wetsuit, my max so far is 20 minutes, i’m going to do at least that much into november, december, and beyond, after a full day of teaching, then helping my kids with homework, and cleaning dinner dishes, there is something cathartic about gazing at a full moon in the night sky, listening to an owl hooting, while gentle water undulates all around me, numbing my injured back, big breath in, big breath out, i feel my heart, alive, all of me.
Daniel W. Polk 