For wild swimming, that is (or, as a friend of mine commented acidly the other day, “what we used to call going for a swim in the river“). Whatever we call it, it’s one of the pleasures of summer for me. So I was delighted to find this poem online and thus be able to share with you ‘Skinny-Dipping in Vathy‘ by Barbara Quick.
I particularly enjoy the fact that the poem isn’t about sleek young things frolicking in the waves: these are people of more advanced years, and the poem prioritises how things feel rather than what they look like. There’s a wonderful attention to details of the felt experience, particularly in stanza two. I love, too, the reminder that you can ‘[feel] so alive and filled with joy’ at any age. A great counterbalance to our youth-and-beauty obsessed (Western) Celebrity Culture. Hurrah!
I’m completely thrilled that my poem reached you, Lucy – and that you wanted to share it. Here’s to the enduring power of poetry!
Barbara, it’s lovely to hear from you. Thank you for getting in touch. And yes, let us celebrate the power of poetry to connect us across times and spaces. It’s a wonderful thing.