After Roger Deakin by Alun Robert

 


 

 

Alun Robert was born in Scotland of Irish ancestry. He is a prolific creator of lyrical verse. Of late, he has achieved success in poetry competitions and featured in international literary magazines, anthologies and on the web.

 


 

 

             

             

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

After Roger Deakin

 

Roger Stuart Deakin (1943-2006) writer and environmentalist

credited as founder of the English wild swimming movement

 

 

 

Going against the flow

Eyes straight ahead

Skimming on the surface

Like whirligig beetles

Gulping for breath

Mouth spitting water

That’s hardly saline

Though far from pure. But

 

Colder than ambient

Particularly under willow

Guarding from the banks

Like soldiers of honour

Avoiding native crayfish,

Gold-ring dragon larvae,

Stoneflies and above

Skirting mayfly. While

 

Reeds up the nostrils

Mixing with mucus

Coughing and spluttering

Every so often with

Knees knocking pebbles,

Rocks, dead branches,

Effluent of mankind

Dumped in the creek. For

 

This may be springtime

And this is wild swimming

In the hinterland of England

Off the beaten track

Going against the flow

Eyes straight ahead

Swimming in a stream

Never out of depth.

 

Alun Robert

 

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