CHAPTER 1

FEELIN

GS

Photo by nooccar - Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License https://www.flickr.com/photos/81077673@N00 Created with Haiku Deck

Today I am dolphin-over-the waves, roach and stickleback, silver mermaid, turning tide, ribbon-weed or sprat

Water drifts through my mind I twist, I glide, leave fear behind in sand, wander a land of turtle, minnow, seal where whale is king. Today I swim!

SYNOPSIS• The poem is about an adult swimmer overcoming

her fear of swimming and discovering her joys as a swimmer.

• In Stanza 1, the poet sees herself as one who has found the rhythm to take the water . The dolphin, the roach, the stickleback and the mermaid represent her sensation of freedom in the water

• Stanza 2 describes her mastery as she twists and glides in the water like sea creatures. She is no longer afraid of the water as she has left it behind.

• Both stanzas express the poet’s sheer happiness as she celebrates victory as an experienced swimmer.

Testing your feelings * relief *loneliness *horror *eagerness

*sorrow *determination *greed *pity

*delight *excitement *anxiety *fascination

From the feelings listed in the box, choose the one that best suits each of the situations above.1. The death of a favourite pet2. Your friends leave you so you have to go for a swim yourself3. A roller-coaster ride at the show4. Wondering if you have passed your last exam5. Watching your computer working on a new difficult task6. Escape without injury from a road accident7. Licking your lips at the sight of two huge juicy hamburgers8. You can’t wait for the race to begin9. Your best friend has failed his/her exam10. Watching a Dracula movie on TV11. Telling yourself that your are going to do your best to fin12. Receiving a birthday gift that you really want