Swimming Hole

Childhood memories of a favored swimming hole.

It stood over the dark swirling water
like a sentinel to forlorn wishes.

Swimming all natural 
as the day of birth was.
Cooling and caressing
Dark Waters eddy, 
surrounding root and knot
in a loving embrace
before drifting along.

Dean would disturb
this vortex with a huge splash
disappearing under the opaque 
currents
come up sputtering
and clamber for bank.

“Get in the water
a car is comin”
is all he’d say 
to warn of exposure.
All would dive in and wait
for dust to settle and
return to normal.

It was a good life.

I’ve seen that bridge since
and wonder how things might've
been different
had we noticed the alligator 
sunning on the bank.