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In Too Deep

I joined the Brownies when I was seven Oh what fun I was in seventh heaven Having fun and making new friends But in the Brownies my life almost ends We were doing badges - this particular one was for swimming I wasn’t a strong swimmer and was having lessons We sat on edge of the baths in our costumes and hats Then we had to swim along the side of the middle of the pool To gain our badge we had to swim a width all the way across I’d only ever swum in the shallow end before But everyone else was swimming across… So I started off… got halfway across… And then I got into trouble Began to go under the water… Down Down Down I sank to the bottom of the pool Two men dived in to save me My parents were frantic They had been watching me ‘swim’ And were sitting upstairs on the balcony Unfolding before their very eyes Was their worse nightmare Thankfully these two men saved my life All I can remember was being rather ill at the side of the pool As the water came gushing out of me One memory I have is of being given chocolate buttons to eat on the way home AND I was awarded by Brownie badge – guess it was out of guilt I never did complete that width. Now I am scared of deep water If anyone asks me if I can swim… I say ‘yes’… like a stone! 11~02~14 Contest: Near Death Or Near Life Experience Sponsor: Anthony Slausen

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Liam Mcdaid

Date: 11/3/2014 7:37:00 AM

quite the story jan excellent pen beautifully painted piece

Jan Allison
Date: 11/3/2014 9:01:00 AM

Thanks so much Liam:-) Hugs Jan x

Charmaine Chircop

Date: 11/2/2014 3:29:00 PM

Ow gee what a terrible experience dear.I understand why you dont swim now dear..A deep real feeling in this.

Jan Allison
Date: 11/2/2014 3:31:00 PM

It is something I have never forgotten Charmaine:-( hugs jan xx

Cory Long

Date: 11/2/2014 10:39:00 AM

nice job on this poem. I liked the tone you put into it. Good luck in the contest. Cory

Jan Allison
Date: 11/2/2014 10:46:00 AM

Many thanks Cory - sometimes its hard to remember the past but this poem just had to be written:-) Hugs Jan xx

Maurice Yvonne

Date: 11/2/2014 9:20:00 AM

Great write, I hope this does really well in the contest. Just one thing Jan and I hope this does not hurt your feelings. You see stones skip really well but they can't swim at all.

Jan Allison
Date: 11/2/2014 10:17:00 AM

You are talking about small pebbles Maurice - I'm more like a lump of granite lol Hugs Jan xx

Jasmine Cruz

Date: 11/2/2014 8:12:00 AM

I`m glad you were ok. I tend to get deep reading poems. I was on the edge with this one. Good luck in the contest Jan.

Jan Allison
Date: 11/2/2014 10:15:00 AM

Thanks Jasmine it was a long long time ago now but the memory is still always at the back of my mind and sadly I have never got over my fear of deep water:-( Hugs Jan xx

Dennis Rarick

Date: 11/2/2014 1:30:00 AM

I love the structure.. Down Down Down Great effect

Jan Allison
Date: 11/2/2014 2:14:00 AM

Thanks Dennis - it is a long long time since it happened but I am still scared of deep water:-( Hugs Jan xxx

Shadow Hamilton

Date: 11/2/2014 1:08:00 AM

what a terrifying experience Jan so lucky you survived a great poet would have been lost otherwise gl in contest hugs

Jan Allison
Date: 11/2/2014 1:47:00 AM

Aww thanks Shadow you have made my day with that lovely comment:-) I didn't start writing until this year - who knows what might have been if I'd written before lol Hugs Jan xx

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 11/2/2014 12:07:00 AM

back stroke and doggy paddle work very well in deep!

Jan Allison
Date: 11/2/2014 1:45:00 AM

so I understand now - thanks Andrea:-) Hugs Jan xx

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 11/2/2014 12:06:00 AM

wow, Jan, I don't even have anything like this I could do for that contest. You really pulled it off. So you can't swiim, huh? It took me a while to learn. I was so scared of the deep. Even now, I can't jump off a diving board into deep (well, I can do the low board, not the high one)> I am comfortable in deep water but have to be near the shallow in case I get tired!!

Jan Allison
Date: 11/2/2014 1:45:00 AM

The trouble was I was tired - took all my energy to swim along the side - I was only very tiny - wish I could get over the fear - I have tried but it's no good too many memories I guess:-( Hugs Jan x

Tim Smith

Date: 11/1/2014 9:23:00 PM

excellent poem Jan....glad they were there to save you.....hugs Tim

Jan Allison
Date: 11/2/2014 1:43:00 AM

yes I guess it could have been a totally different story Tim:-) Hugs Jan xx

Eve Roper

Date: 11/1/2014 8:36:00 PM

I like the shape of a little girl Jan. I also had the same experience and like you I swim like a stone to the bottom of the pool love and hugs eve

Eve Roper
Date: 11/2/2014 8:29:00 AM

You are so much like me when my youngest son was 5 he is now 31, I made arrangements for swimming lessons for both of us and like you the swimming instructor gave up on me when I go into the deep I'd sink.

Jan Allison
Date: 11/2/2014 1:41:00 AM

The shape. of the poem is pure co-incidence - I did have swimming lessons when we moved to the Island in 1996 but still can't go in deep water:-( Hugs Janx