Wide-eyed with both fear and excitement,
His tiny legs thrash as he swims toward me,
Water dripping down his hair
And face, and sometimes threatening to penetrate his eyes in which case he squeals and attempts to flee from the sting.
Paddling like a dog in water for the sixth or seventh time
His minuscule, slippery hands clasp around my bare shoulder
The icy touch sends through a brilliant white through the body;
I hadn\'t realised my skin had been scorched red in the sun.
A monstrous splash behind him
And a surge of water, a tsunami is sent
Trembling, shuddering through the pool.
He wraps his tiny hand around my neck
Squeezing his head into my shoulder
Feet clambering up me as though I am a Banyan
Placing his wet lips, now rounding a halo
Planting it deep into my cheek before I push him away to learn to swim on his own.