January 10th, 2009 / 2:15 pm
 Excerpts

Swim Poem

for Barry

for Barry

 
The Nude Swim
by Anne Sexton

On the southwest side of Capri
we found a little unknown grotto
where no people were and we
entered it completely
and let our bodies lose all
their loneliness.

All the fish in us
had escaped for a minute.
The real fish did not mind.
We did not disturb their personal life.
We calmly trailed over them
and under them, shedding
air bubbles, little white
balloons that drifted up
into the sun by the boat
where the Italian boatman slept
with his hat over his face.

Water so clear you could
read a book through it.
Water so buoyant you could
float on your elbow.
I lay on it as on a divan.
I lay on it just like
Matisse’s Red Odalisque.
Water was my strange flower,
one must picture a woman
without a toga or a scarf
on a couch as deep as a tomb.

The walls of that grotto
were everycolor blue and
you said, “Look! Your eyes
are seacolor. Look! Your eyes
are skycolor.” And my eyes
shut down as if they were
suddenly ashamed.

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28 Comments

  1. January 10th, 2009 / 10:51 pm barry—

      sexy sexton. very nice.

  2. January 10th, 2009 / 6:51 pm barry—

      sexy sexton. very nice.

  3. January 10th, 2009 / 10:58 pm barry—

      pr.

      i am extremely thankful for your faithfulness. ryan and jereme and sam are much smarter, better looking, creative, sexier, etc than i am, yet you remain a rock, unswayed. i owe you forever.

      bg+pr = unquenchable true love that death itself cannot undue

      p.s. that girl in the pic has a squirrel face. i prefer your bare skin to hers.

  4. January 10th, 2009 / 6:58 pm barry—

      pr.

      i am extremely thankful for your faithfulness. ryan and jereme and sam are much smarter, better looking, creative, sexier, etc than i am, yet you remain a rock, unswayed. i owe you forever.

      bg+pr = unquenchable true love that death itself cannot undue

      p.s. that girl in the pic has a squirrel face. i prefer your bare skin to hers.

  5. January 11th, 2009 / 1:22 am ryan—

      did you just call me sexy?

  6. January 10th, 2009 / 9:22 pm ryan—

      did you just call me sexy?

  7. January 10th, 2009 / 10:13 pm pr—

      barry- i have so many faults. infinity amounts of faults. But I am very, very faithful. I just am. pr loves bg.

  8. January 11th, 2009 / 3:03 am barry—

      ryan:

      ha. i guess i did. but you havent seen me. it doesnt take much.

      pr:

      you are perfect. i heart you.

  9. January 10th, 2009 / 11:03 pm barry—

      ryan:

      ha. i guess i did. but you havent seen me. it doesnt take much.

      pr:

      you are perfect. i heart you.

  10. January 10th, 2009 / 11:22 pm pr—

      bg-
      why do all the young people have better things to do than watch tv with the computer on their lap on a Sat night?

      I lost to my husband today at tennis. Then I ate a piece of steak so big the waiter raised his eyebrow at me. Now I smoke and drink. Soon I will pass out. I love you.

  11. January 11th, 2009 / 5:32 am barry—

      i was supposed to meet some friends in ann arbor for our monthly poker game but we got snowed out. southeast michigan got hammered pretty hard.

      my book was just released today, you should be getting your copy soon.

      http://www.anothersky.org/in-print/the-national-virginity-pledge-barry-graham/

      sorry to hear you lost at tennis. happy dreams when you pass out. i hope your steak was delicious.

  12. January 11th, 2009 / 1:32 am barry—

      i was supposed to meet some friends in ann arbor for our monthly poker game but we got snowed out. southeast michigan got hammered pretty hard.

      my book was just released today, you should be getting your copy soon.

      http://www.anothersky.org/in-print/the-national-virginity-pledge-barry-graham/

      sorry to hear you lost at tennis. happy dreams when you pass out. i hope your steak was delicious.

  13. January 11th, 2009 / 6:23 am poop—

      FAPFAPFAP

  14. January 11th, 2009 / 2:23 am poop—

      FAPFAPFAP

  15. January 11th, 2009 / 7:28 am ryan—

      barry,

      don’t go taking it back now, i was just starting to realize why pr is loyal in her love for you. also, there’s a guy in mfa program who looks a lot like you. it weirded me out at first.

  16. January 11th, 2009 / 3:28 am ryan—

      barry,

      don’t go taking it back now, i was just starting to realize why pr is loyal in her love for you. also, there’s a guy in mfa program who looks a lot like you. it weirded me out at first.

  17. January 11th, 2009 / 9:23 am jereme—

      hah yeah i got mad skills yo.

      what a joke.

  18. January 11th, 2009 / 5:23 am jereme—

      hah yeah i got mad skills yo.

      what a joke.

  19. January 11th, 2009 / 2:10 pm barry—

      ryan:

      im not taking it back man, you’re sexy. it could have been me in the mfa program. im everywhere.

      jereme:

      mad.

  20. January 11th, 2009 / 10:10 am barry—

      ryan:

      im not taking it back man, you’re sexy. it could have been me in the mfa program. im everywhere.

      jereme:

      mad.

  21. January 11th, 2009 / 8:13 pm ryan—

      barry,

      was that you i saw in the clouds last night like simba’s dad from lion king?

  22. January 11th, 2009 / 4:13 pm ryan—

      barry,

      was that you i saw in the clouds last night like simba’s dad from lion king?

  23. January 11th, 2009 / 10:25 pm pr—

      ryan is really funny.

  24. January 11th, 2009 / 6:25 pm pr—

      ryan is really funny.

  25. January 11th, 2009 / 10:39 pm ryan—

      thanks

      sorry, that wasn’t funny. i felt the pressure and caved.

  26. January 11th, 2009 / 6:39 pm ryan—

      thanks

      sorry, that wasn’t funny. i felt the pressure and caved.

  27. July 4th, 2009 / 2:38 pm Edith—

      Thoughtful post and well written. Please write more on this if you have time.

  28. July 4th, 2009 / 10:38 am Edith—

      Thoughtful post and well written. Please write more on this if you have time.