The Sea, the Gull and the Eye

The Sea, the Gull and the Eye

1.

I had my fingers crossed for a fine day

That the TV lady had promised with a smile

In the wettest summer since God only can say

I set off in the sea to swim for a while

Miraculously brightness popped out of the gloom

Right after a thunderstorm that spread boom and doom

The sea was at more calm at last, not as cold as of late

The sun came out and the sea fret rolled back  

Blustery winds and rain the shore will attack

But now and again nature’s force will abate

2.

I got into a nice rhythm fairly quickly then

And settled in for a longer than usual swim

The morning looked a little more settled when

On a less dreary day though waves I’d skim

At the best of times, I cannot swim in a straight line

A glance at the shore to see that I am fine

The wind was more or less directly from the west

This causing a fair rise in height to the swell

In a lumpy, slappy sea, my small body gently rose and fell

I settled into my solo swim, being alone is always a test

3.

The swirling strength of sea water is hypnotic

And leaves sheer pleasure in the mystery of moving

The Sussex Coast beach is less than exotic

But a closeness to home and safety are soothing

Swimming over the submerged end of the sea defence

Barnacled monster beneath me gives momentary offence

Gazers try to see imagined images float across the sky

A patch of blue sky opened just to my left, over the sea.

Dolphins clouds swimming across the sky or seem to be

No science lesson needed to explain the why

4.

This was just the reverse; a clean blue space in solid cloud

There was a distinct, crisp, almond shaped eye up where

 In the centre was a tiny white fluffy puff clear and proud

Forming perfectly placed the iris of the eye in the sky up there

 I reasoned that the central fluffy cloud has to be higher

Was it drifting along a more elevated plain I silently inquire

I am not averse to a bit of spirituality or a spot of spookiness

Smiling at the thought of an angel up there watching out for me

Breaks my concentration on the job in hand, I took the time to see

Mind wandering free where it would, miracle, or my own kookiness

5.

Lifted up to the top of the wave as if I was a scrap of seaweed

The slap of the big waves and the odd feeling of being dropped

Water hitting the side of my face with surprising speed

That powerless feeling of being washed around and stopped

Sand laden waters turned a startling bright golden shade

Seagulls’ flying over the disturbance my swimming has made

The eye in the sky still watches my progress from far above

Within the rhythm of my stroke it becomes a fascination

I notice I am off course from my intended destination

Heading out to sea, would guide me back on course to show his love

6. 

In the overcast sky there the slightest glint of sunshine

I would stick my head down, trying to swim a firmer stroke

Then looking up to site and each time straighten up in line

Concentration breaks away from reverie now I have woke

I still found myself heading off diagonally toward France

Straighten up again, keep in line to shore and not to chance

That is not that easy for me since I breathe to the left

Though on my course I am swimming to the west

Most of the gull’s peel of which I feel is for best

The last one, staying, watches them fly away as if bereft

7.

The last gull stayed with me, hovering on the headwind now

Slightly above and behind, where I was below his slow flight

Maybe it was hoping that would disturb marine life somehow

Provide him with dinner, so reason to keep me in sight

Close overhead, quite low, maybe there curious as to what

I was doing there, bobbing around in the water such a lot

With every exit my hand made so often from a wave

The gull would dip close in case there was a fish

I was sure now he thought I would provide a supper dish

A gentle tap on my fingers, him getting more than brave

8.

Ploughing doggedly on, trying to think about my stroke

Nice and steady, stretch out, make my catch, pull it back

Push a handful of water away beneath each wave that broke

The feeling that I am very small in this strange attack

The sky eye watches all the action with silent interest

My thoughts are that it’s all far too weird to digest

 I’m not usually afraid whilst swim training in the sea

The feeling of the power of the water strong yet soft

But add the interaction between gull and the eye aloft

In the great, swirling, heaving mass the sea must be

9.

I am roughly on a course beyond the breakwater bound

And by that fact in a normally safe close to shore zone

I have always thought of myself as unsinkably sound,

A buoyant piece of work, try to keep my muscles honed

I set back into getting this long hard swim done

And nibble away at the distance until I have almost won

I was closing on the first groyne along the promenade

And could just make out the next one in the line

Now navigation easier for a time and all will be fine

Kept an eye on the eye, as it focused on me, a fine charade

10.

My seagull partner still in touch with the fingers on each hand

We had constant eye contact every bit of the way

I could have stopped at any time and swum in to the land

Then my swimming mate would surely go away

But I pushed on and admit I wanted this swim put to bed

If I had had the power then his feathers I would shred!

Getting there slowly and hadn’t suffered any twinge or ache

No fatigue but tingling with the cold I supposed

The eye in the cloud looked weary and slowly closed

For the next long swim; I’ll go to a nice clear calm lake!

11.

When I swam as far as the half dozen breakwaters reach

Where the tow was even stronger, and I placidly took my pace

The tide was on the turn and I swam in toward the beach

The seagull turned casually away not giving one last chase 

I passed the last of the jolly coloured beach hut row

Plodding along to the bitter end my arms were all aglow

 My man had raised a big red towel for me to aim

Some of my friends were waiting there for me

To climb the pebble beach edge stones to see

Wrapped in a towel, watching the sea’s heaving game

12.

Same view there as always nothing now out of place

Just one more training session completed

Looks like rain or maybe a thunderstorm to face

I’ve been in much worse water when I have competed

It had been interesting if a little bit alarming

A heavenly, eye and a sea bird less than charming

 With the rain clouds ahead it seemed strange

Almost complete cover of heavy rain cloud

Then a crack of thunder ear burstingly loud

All eyes turned away, now gone out of range

………written in September 2008

Daphne Janet Bathseba Belt