on the southeast shore of ko tao
i went to swim with my friends
and had no idea how it would end
we walked thru the sun,
down the hill
up and over the rocks
with playfull skill
clear warm water -
my favorite treat.
all the creatures of the ocean -
who knows who i'll meet?
we went for the dip,
slipping into the bay,
swimming around
it was great, let me say
my friends were hungry,
i wanted more -
i said goodbye,
and left them at the shore
across the bay was an island
a little ways away
a few dive boats waiting
i hoped that they will stay
equipted with fins, snorkle, mask
rashguard and speedo
i swam and kicked and dove
looking to and fro
sand, coral, fish, and snails
things were looking good -
one, two, single reef sharks,
they were just cruising their hood.
then i saw a bunch!
like ten, or twelve, or twenty!
i wasn't worried, really -
they were small, but plenty!
i kicked and swam
and swam some more
until i could see
the bottom no more
i crossed the bay
and swam across the way
(after talking to a cute spanish woman)
i made it to the island
so now i could see
what the divers were doing,
but they had left!
i approached a corner,
and came under attack -
i would never had thought
when i got there i'd want to be back?!
these little white birds
flew to greet me,
dive-bombing, pecking,
did they want to eat me?
two at a time,
flying up and swooping down,
i had to keep ducking under
to protect my crown
just what i needed!
tired, hungry, scared, and feet-sore,
i had to swim from shark island,
across shark bay,
just to get to the shore
this was not the time to have a bleeding head!
Copyright Dec. 20, 2004 X Mackay