Jane Thomas
‘you will swim without cork’
Horace, Satires, Book 1.4.120
40 years ago
I wore orange blow up bands,
In your salty sepia arms,
A barnacle babe.
35 years ago
You took us on agnostic Sunday swims,
In 80’s council grade chlorine,
That must have stung.
25 years ago
Buoyant on bubbles and barracuda,
Snorkelling the sea,
Jumping crests and jetsam.
5 years ago
You floated in the bubbles,
Soaking flat friendly freckles,
Your flannelled face and mind,
Fighting the sensation that you were still alive.
0 years ago
I think of you on every swim,
My head goes under to meet you,
Ever hopeful, eyes wide,
Stripped of tear film.
***
Jane Thomas has been writing poetry in some form for most of her life, but over the last few years has been working on her craft and spending more time with words. She finds writing poetry both therapeutic and inspiring. She has had the honour of being published in the Oakland Art Review, The Oxford Student, and the Esalen People Magazine.She has just started a creative writing course at The University of Oxford and is enjoying working with published and inspirational tutors. Previously she has enjoyed short courses at The Arvon Foundation, The Gladstone library, and Esalen. She is an active member of the Swansea Writing Circle and The Oxford Poetry Centre and a member of the Poetry Society. She has read at Green Templeton College, Oxford, The Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea, and Common Ground, Oxford. She is working on her first pamphlet and is enjoying taking her words out to the world.