Chavira's Canal Poem by Juan Olivarez

The water is murky, and refreshingly cool,
On a hot summer's day as we dive in.
This is Chavira's canal, it's not a pool,
We dive in naked as original sin.

The current drags us far down stream,
And we climb out, and come running back.
Jumping and splashing in an unending dream,
Don't know the time we've just lost track.

There's Pepe, and Arturo, and Rana, and me,
Diving off the food gates into the foam.
Swimming like fish in an alien sea,
Laughing and shouting before heading home.

6/12/10 29 palms ca.