Pool Piece
by Aoife Mannix
Crystal showers through silver colanders
catch the triple light
as glitter balls rain on water.
The little boy stands by the poolside,
his eyes shimmering with music,
smiles of splashes
as the gong strikes laughter.
Umbrellas are shared
in the protective weight
of lifting silver storms.
The patter of spray shooters
as the gamelan kicks in.
The bubbles bounce to wooden tin beats
in time to the onslaught of raindrops
squirted between children.
Splashing silence,
beyond language, there is the haze
of gold swimmers jumping into blue excitement.
A sailing boat of dreams,
patterns liquid on the skin.
Reaching the unreachable,
the priceless pouring of purple connection,
who we really are.
See yourself in the mirror of a child’s name,
in the leaps and bounces of another world reflected
as the boy steps into the pool,
balances perfectly on the hands of sponges,
sings his own churning of floating mirrors.
Bubbles chanting song waterfalls,
the towel massages of drifting back to land.
Wanting to escape dry reality,
having to wave goodbye to the lights.
