This is a poem by Shaw Method teacher Daphne Wood. If you've read Steven Shaw's The Art of Swimming, you may have seen it published there.

can water be a friend?

she went into the water
like going to meet a friend
the water received her
as she was
demanded nothing
but was not unresponsive
allowed her to be tense
reflected that back to her
encouraged her to let some of her holding
be let go
responded when she did
seemed to become softer
and gentler
surrounding her
holding her

as she learned more about the water
and responded
she learned more about herself
perhaps coming into the water
was more like coming back to herself

it was also more than that
the water may not remember and think about her as a friend would
but knowing it would be there
constant
reliable
made her look forward to going to the water
as she would to going to a friend.

© Daphne Wood

Daphne Wood teaches Shaw Method in London. Find out more from her website.

Photo supplied by Daphne Wood.