THE OL SWIMMING HOLE

children and swimming hole

THE OL SWIMMING HOLE

our home place on the consumnes river
had several really fine swimming holes
for summer fun
a favorite of our visiting cousins
with the requisite rope attached to a huge english walnut tree
so old the graft to the black walnut trunk was 30 feet in the air
this hole was deep enough to please an elephant
in need of a bath, i remember feeling like the lord of the castle
when i sailed out over the water clinging the the rope
to drop like a stone int the cooling water on the hot summer days
on the best days i would ride to the hole
with several friends and slip into the water from the back of my steed
or just lay upon his back and soak in the sun
listening to the laughter of my friends



at one end of the hole
an old stone bridge crossed the river
a fine place to rest and contemplate
the passing of the day
and just when day slipped into night
in that quiet blue hour
when all things are cemetery silent,
the thousands of bats
that slept the day away
hanging upside down
under the bridge would wake
and swoop out
kissing the quiet pond face
taking a sip of water on the fly
like humming birds suck nectar from flowers
and i, resting on the bridge could imagine
i was a great wizard and they were my minions
sailing out into the majestic universe seeking information
to return to me dropping little nuggets of knowledge
into my open palms like peanuts falling from the sky...
how i long to return to that solitary place
and absorb the peace just once before i die...

Reviews

[Perkele.7885]

This is is a wonderful poem of a wonderful cooling memory. I can almost feel that cool river water up to my neck just saturating me.
Now, I do not want to spoil your poem or your memory of it,or even how your poem made me feel reading your poem BUT.
when them bats came back, are you sure they were dropping peanuts and not Bat-crap in your hands?

[jeannemarie coulter]

my laughter rolls out...i never stayed out long enough for the bats to drop poo...thanks for the thought

[Perkele.7885]

I just had to ask, jeannemarie! I had to!

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

There are certain places that will always be home in our heart. Wonderful expression of your sentiment toward this watering hole.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

this is such a cool memory...mine is of Tickle Naked Pond in Ryegate, VT.

nicely done as always...your story poems are so enthralling.

j.

[Sami Khalil]

An enchanting place from what I read and see in the pics. A wonderful place to make and keep those memories. Bravo...........

[daninstockholm]

ahhhh,, such nice memories this evokes!! I remember those warm days of Oregon summer!! I was born in Portland and moved to a small country town in my youth. Thanks for the look back!!

[jeannemarie coulter]

a place i will always love from a time when life was completely enchanting