Happy Labor day: The Last Swim of Summer

For most of us, Labor Day signals a changing of the seasons; for some, this change is a welcome sign of cooler weather, warm sweaters, and pumpkin spice lattes for others is a time to say goodbye. So long to long days on the porch, burgers on the grill, and long respites in the pool.  Happy Labor Day!

The Last Swim of Summer by Faith Shearin Our pool is still blue but a few leaves have fallen, floating on the surface

of summer. The other swimmers went home last week, tossed

their faded bathing suits aside, so my daughter and I are alone

in the water which has grown colder like a man's hand at the end of

a romance. The lifeguard is under her umbrella but her bags are packed

for college. We are swimming against change, remembering the endless

shores of June: the light like lemonade, fireflies inside our cupped hands,

watermelon night. We are swimming towards the darkness of what

is next, walking away from the sounds of laughter and splashing, towels

wrapped around the dampness of our loss.