I used to swim

Water droplets flying, BEEP!

Young men thick and broad, 

Young women muscled and strong. 

Make sure you warm up, don’t just stand there.

Swing my arms around, pound my chest,

This is my place, my lane, my water.

Cap sticks, goggles sink, thoughts race. 

Up, up, on the block. 

Everything goes narrow. 

This is where I belong.

BEEP!

LAUNCH FORward

boulder into the water, 

move, move, move, move. 

burning, tired, losing. 

take a breath, and 

i’ve lost,

i don’t belong here.

by Max Brady Cooper