Swimming and other poems by Akil Contractor

Art by Mafalda Silva

Swimming

At first, I tried with hoping and with wishing

no further effort geared to accomplishing

the thought that I would need to move or hustle

the stress to mind if forced to flex a muscle

i made a start with simple floating lessons

sans tube and things just dunking breathing sessions

then tried to drift about just like a whale

attempt a buoyancy that should not fail

when warmed enough and free from apprehensions

by giving to the body fresh attention

I swam towards the deep end of the pool

by pulling in the water I can pull.

With swimming strokes to help me get across

mainly freestyle and the front crawl style of course

the butterfly and breast stroke would I ever

the trudgeon I would like to but could never!

My effort’s on with inhaling exhaling

my underwater feats are not plain sailing –

the prospects of evolution have got me talking

I am swimming now so fish should soon be walking!

A stitch in time

A stitch in time may save you nine

but do you know your stitches

like catch stitch , back stitch, slip stitch

the fly stitch and hem stitches .

A needle must go in and out

inserting threads to stay

for patterns on your fabric

to place them as you may .

Now coming back to the strength of stitch

the kind that saves you nine

you have a choice of forty

and seven more in line

the strongest stitch you sew by hand

the backstitch is the best

Google says this wonder stitch

Is better than the best.

No matter how our lives may turn

we always can repair

a good stitch helps to lighten up

the high risk of a tear.

Devolution

Resolved, the Buddha made his find

secured his fig-tree edification below

the tree, and since then

we have wrested the sacred figs combined

with leaves, and struck a sufficient axe-blow

at the trunk – to our satisfaction.

---

Residing in Mumbai, Akil Contractor is a poet with a strong affiliation with the Poetry Circle Mumbai as one of its founding members. He has authored three poetry collections: "AFTER KALINGA AND OTHER POEMS," "SPIRIT SONG -VERSE," and "RHYMIN VERSES." Alongside his literary pursuits, Akil is professionally engaged in the production of printing inks and coatings.

Swimming and other poems by Akil Contractor