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Summer Floating (SOLS)

6/28/2011

 
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A recent post by Ruth talked about place and its importance which got me thinking. I had planned on writing about finally reaching the end of the school year (June 23rd). So, both ideas came together.

The family pool
Happy, happy.
How can a pool not be?
A constant since childhood.
Races, diving.
Flying down the slide 
in creative variations;
Screaming, shouting,
Constant danger of getting tossed in
If you foolishly wandered the edge.
Raft wars; Marco Polo
Lying out with (back then)
Baby oil and tanning reflectors,
Hot creamy lotion, greased arms
coconut and banana smells.
Baking until you needed to jump
Cool, cool water. Emerge dripping.

Kiss-108 blaring and the Saturday
ritual listening of Wishing on A Star.
A pool for all the neighborhood kids
an everyone’s pool
all day, mornings, afternoons.
Popsicles and chips and tonic (not soda!)
Soggy towels, stubbed toes, burning cement.

And best of all, floating, languid, on
a raft, staring up.
Treetops, clouds, sky.
Now the pool is
taken over by the young
Nephews, nieces, their friends.
Ipods, texting.
Still Kiss-108.
Still shouts and screams.
And for me, still floating.
Looking at the sky.

ruth
6/28/2011 09:45:00 am

Ahhh....your poem could have been written in my backyard. We're the first generation in my family with a pool, but have already collected several summers' worth of memories. I think I'll take a page from your book and just keep floating.

Elizabeth G link
6/28/2011 10:45:31 am

The perfect summer accessory. Sounds perfect for these warm summer days. I love how you seemlessly moved from your childhood into the children of today. Love it!

elsie
6/28/2011 11:07:18 am

I am so jealous of your family pool. When I was young that was a dream. Your words brought back so many memories of other pools. Thanks for sharing.

Tara Smith link
6/28/2011 11:34:06 am

And best of all, floating, languid, on
a raft, staring up.
Treetops, clouds, sky.

Loved those lines! They conjure up the summer mood so perfectly.

onesunflower link
6/28/2011 12:55:00 pm

The collection of images is a blue whirlpool - and I can smell the chlorine. I love the image of you still floating.

LInda Baie link
6/28/2011 02:18:35 pm

You got me with the banana & coconut smell. My aunt had a pool earlier in my life; such fun we had with all those very parts. I'm also glad you added in a little part about your fun, too.


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