Mary Oliver, "The Swimming Lesson"

Feeling the icy kick, the endless waves 
Reaching around my life, I moved my arms
And coughed, and in the end saw land. 

Somebody, I suppose, 
Remembering the medieval maxim,
Had tossed me in, 
Had wanted me to learn to swim, 

Not knowing that none of us, who ever came back
From that long lonely fall and frenzied rising,
Ever learned anything at all 

About swimming, but only 
How to put off, one by one, 
Dreams and pity, love and grace -- 
How to survive in any place. 


Mary Oliver

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