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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I still go to the pool, just not on Fridays.
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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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Thank you very much Merril! It’s a comfort to know that this is not just a problem in our pool. People all over the world are familiar with the walkers and chatters.
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You’re welcome, Kim!
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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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Thank you, Lill, and happy Easter to you and your family.
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Gongrats on the well-deserved honorifics Kim & thanks for the swim saga. I usually just slide in, find a corner, and soak – like I’m in a cool hot tub, writing poetry (not as good as yours) in my head, hoping to retain enough to transcribe when I get out…
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Thank you very much, Ron. Swimming laps does focus the mind, like meditating, and I get some great ideas for poems.
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I swim laps and walk for exercise. Most days, I am the lone lapper. My kids were all swimmers and my daughter was quite good.
I recall watching team practice, she in crowded lanes with others. I have seen her stroke, reach out and grasp the ankle of the boy in front of her, pull him back and swim past. I asked her if she was going to join the water polo team. 🙂
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Swimming lengths is like meditation. Counting laps focuses the mind, as does walking, and stimulates poetry.
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My mind often wonders, sometimes worries, I may even think about what I am doing. In the pool, I use a lap counter.
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