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Open Poetry #35
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No! Don't Touch That!
| Open Poetry #35 |
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No! Don't Touch That! |
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Jaime Fradera Senior Member
since 2000-11-25
Posts 843Where no tyranny is tolerable |
No! Don't Touch That! 1: I am at the indoor pool. Some are at poolside, And some are in the water. There is background music playing. I am walking carefully, Slowly feel my way Along the edge, Looking for the shallow end. I call out to the music: Can someone please tell me Which is the deep or shallow end? ... But no one hears or pays attention. I am on my own. 2: I come to a ladder and guess it is the shallow end. But as I step into the water hold on to the ladder Till I'm sure. And the water Rises to my neck. I begin to splash and play In pure delight And ecstatic primal pleasure Only known to me in dreams. Holding to the edge, I "swim" To where a group of people wade. Then some one tries To RRRIP my hand Off of the edge, (NO! Don't touch that.) Just as I knew The high school PE teacher would. Terrified, And holding to the edge For all dear life, I "swim" back into the shallow, Where I am safe again. 3: It is time to leave. I go into the dressing room But can not find my locker. I touch, I open one at random, And as I reach inside, It stings savagely, With crackling, Angry, hissing sparks Of live, high-voltage current. (NO! Don't touch that.) I open another locker, But it belongs to Ricky Who, it seems, Is now an engineer And tells me, in technospeek, That he teaches people How to do their space inspections. (NO! Don't touch that.) Jumpin a jeep, Jaime My raw and primal terror of being pushed into the water was not unfounded. In the fall of 1970, at our school for the blind, Alex Torrez drowned during a PE class. Alex had a history of seizures and was under doctor's orders not to go swimming. His body was not discovered for twenty minutes after the end of class. |
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Earth Angel Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215Realms of Light |
Jaime, I almost drowned in a municipal pool. It was a terrifying experience. I still have the occasional nightmare about it. I can understand how the drowning of a classmate during P.E., and you also being physically sightless, could lead to such night terrors. You certainly conveyed those fears very well in this poem! Hugs with love, EA |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
That dream seems to resurface regularly for you, Jaime. I still hope that some day, you will find yourself in a pool without feeling a single second of terror. And I too understand, after having had two near-drowning experiences, one in a pool, one in the ocean. So, did you go outside last week during that freak Denver blizzard? |
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MGROVES
since 2004-02-01
Posts 3802california |
i have had near drowning experiances too that left quite a mark. i stil love the water. just stay close to edge. thanks for sharing My spirit will rise |
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Italy Angel Member
since 2003-09-01
Posts 65Northern Ca |
I have almost drown as well. I used to be a lifeguard and it is such a common thing. Love this read!  |
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
brings me back to the time I couldn't swim and my uncle threw me off the boat...I had a life jacket on but I was tiny and it came off as soon as I hit the water...down I went. spooky feeling |
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Bonnie j Senior Member
since 2003-06-27
Posts 1588Ohio |
I know the feeling. In high school we had swimming classes. Of course we had to jump in, even if we didn't know how to swim. I remember thrashing about swallowing water and trying to grab hold of someone as the teacher stood there and watched. It seemed a life time and I remember thinking ..."Why doesn't she help"? Never did learn to swim well. Hugs BonBon  |
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Aenimal Member Rara Avis
since 2002-11-18
Posts 7350the ass-end of space |
almost drowned twice, the second time caught in the undertow under a waterfall of sorts..not fun. still i never get enough but completely understand the fea some people have. |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Jaime, how I feel with you, for another that you could not save. To know a person, to think that you could have tried to help, and feel helpless.... A long, long time ago...[LOL...decades] I tried, on a whim, to ride a surfboard. Well, my friend, the "Queen Klutz" lives. The danged thing bit me in the head, not enough to make me unconcious, but enough to scare me into never trying it again - because number 1, I was doing it against my parents' demand to "be safe" and 2, I am a Sagittarius...we don't fool around much with water... HUGS,  |
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LeeJ Member Patricius
since 2003-06-19
Posts 13296 |
Jamie, dear Jamie, I'm speechless, offering mere words of compassion...I've never feared the water, but can certainly empathize with your feelings, heartfelt hugs for the courage to share... |
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Jaime Fradera Senior Member
since 2000-11-25
Posts 843Where no tyranny is tolerable |
Sunxhine and Kacy ... I thought all girls in California are surfer girls and it is mandatory for or maybe "natural" for all surfer girls in california to go surfing!!! Even newborn surfer girls girls in california can surf! Just through a new born california surfer girl into the Pacific Ocean and let her go!!!! SC |
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Aleta Member
since 2005-04-17
Posts 102Louisiana |
Nightmares, how our mind works through troubled times.. memories resurface and hidden meanings to ponder. You captured this nightmare well, taking your reader through the fear… (Just a thought, if reoccurring, might be when you are feeling “pushed” in life or that danger is near? Forgive me, I tend to reflect on dreams.) |
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