Nightswimming

My sister said, Let's go swimming. I said OK. Next to the hotel, there is a pool that is surrounded by sand and a few palm trees, yet it was clean. It was the shape of the shallow end and how the moonlight touched the water, that brought me back to another night long passed when the air was warm. We laughed as we slid into the water.

Promise me you'll remember this, I said. I will always remember this, he said, but why do you say that? When it gets hard, you'll need to remember, I said. I don't believe it will ever get hard, he said, not like that. It will, I said, it always does, it can't be helped. I will always remember this, he said.

Two years on, after we stopped swimming together, and I went alone in the mornings, I went to the stationery store and bought fine papers and fine ink. I don't remember what I wrote, but I wrote something and mostly what I wanted to say was, I remember you that night, I remember us that night. I gave it to you. Your face when you read it was tender. You said looking at me, I will always remember.

So after all these years, about you, about Texas, I wanted to say I thought about you when I went swimming last night with my sister. I thought about how I always loved swimming into the late fall. I remember I loved that about Texas. And how I was with you that first summer and fall.

Nightswimming, remembering that night
September's coming soon
I'm pining for the moon
And what if there were two
Side by side in orbit
Around the fairest sun?
A forever moon
Could not describe nightswimming

You, I thought I knew you
You, I cannot judge
You, I thought you knew me,
This one laughing quietly underneath my breath
Nightswimming....

I have always loved swimming--especially at night--this one laughing quietly underneath my breath.