view of mainly blue sky with light cloud and a slim slice of ocean at the bottom. There is a bronze sculpture of a woman at the right hand side, looming large

At the local swimming pool — the only one with unbarbered legs and no towel, chocolates dragging me down — but the sky is blue

10
Written by J Perini

A Longette Lite by Jessica Perini

I look to their legs as we’re swimming: Nup, not a hair.

Not one. Underwater my head bobs, Scuba tube in mouth,
Goggle nose blocked   forcing breath through tube, unnatural – 
I Gag   but this snorkel-gear view  allows time to take in Water

Worlds, round silver sparkles of sun dancing on pool floor, a discarded

band aid — ew. The weird pipe at 1.5 metres — what’s it for? 
But all swimmers’ legs are smooth. Me now, Tired,

sitting on the edge, no towel, hair dripping, two-day stubble

legs, typing poetry into my phone, thinking how I’m reading
about learning   consuming pages about memory   yet forgetting
my towel, going swimming.  Four hundred metres done, Christmas

Chocolates dragging me down, it dawns on me   I’m waiting

for The Surgeon’s say   tomorrow. But my swim stroke
is all-consuming. Sometimes forgetting is something

Special. Today   The sky is blue   The chlorine is mild   The children
splash — Littlefkers.    But really   I don’t mind

[Photo taken at Wylie’s Baths by Jessica Perini, 2026. The sculpture is of Olympic swimmer Mina Wylie, 1891–1984, completed by sculptor Eileen Slarke in 2001 for Australia’s Centenary of Federation.]

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