My days at the local pool
have been reduced.
No more quiet swimming on Fridays.
That’s when they meander across lanes,
chatting loudly about anything inane,
getting in every swimmer’s way.
I swim a length underwater and when I rise
another woman’s boobs are in my eyes –
she doesn’t attempt to apologise.
They’re not even swimming!
They walk – or hang on to the side,
spread across the deep end, yacking,
while I try to complete laps in peace and quiet.
I can do without their inconsiderate riot.
Kim M. Russell, 5th April 2026
I woke up this Easter Sunday morning and had a surprise – I am today’s featured participant at NaPoWriMo! Thank you so much, Maureen, I’m blushing. On Day 5, we have an interesting optional prompt, based on a famous two-line poem by the Roman poet Catullus. Maureen says she was reminded of it while reading some of the grumpy comments from Charles Darwin’s letters, which made me smile because my husband was saying last night that he wished he wasn’t so grumpy!
Today, we’re writing poems in which we talk about disliking something – particularly something utterly innocuous, so we can be over the top, a bit silly and overdramatic.
writing in north norfolk 
I gave up swimming for the same reason. I’d try to swim lengths only to have assorted ladies bobbing along, side by side, keeping immaculate hair out of the water. They’d complain to staff that I was splashing them as I weaved between them. A couple of lanes were set aside for doing lengths but they’d always use them to avoid the “free for all” in the open section. Staff told me “they’re doing lengths”. I quit swimming.
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Congratulations, Kim! I loved your storm poem.
I’m not a swimmer, but I know to keep out of the way of people doing laps. Some people are so inconsiderate!
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I loved waking up to see your name as featured poet!! Congratulations, Kim!! Ah yes…. the small groups of women (and men!) who stand chatting in the pool. Bless the community pool that has at least one, and hopefully two, lap lanes only!
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