Downstream

feet popped up out of the
water as if they were made of
cork; I couldn’t kick; I had no
power in my legs at all. I did
two lengths and gave up. As
the weeks went by I managed
to swim further, then I moved
to the Heath’s mixed bathing
pond, deciding this would
more resemble the experience
I would have in the River
Thames, but I still didn’t
know if I could do five miles.
As the train reaches