This is taking longer than I expected, but it’s coming along…
Only fifty more layers to go!
The Day I almost Drowned
“I’ll catch you,” he said;
blond hair curling around his ears.
So, I swung out over the water;
all my friends waiting and watching.
“Come on,” they yelled;
as I swung back to the shore, one foot reaching to catch the land.
“Give someone else a chance,” shouted Melanie from the
opposite shore.
“Chicken!”
“I’ll catch you!”
“Just jump!”
“Come on!”
So I did.
I pushed out hard
away from the ground which held the tree,
grasping the rough rope which hung from it.
Down below, ripples on the surface of dark water.
Dark from being the deepest spot in the creek and
from rotting leaves and because the sun had begun to set.
Instant:
splash
cold
confusion
panic
I couldn’t see.
Arms digging, legs kicking, searching for the light of up.
Pressure under both arms pulling me fast.
Cool breeze on my face as I opened my eyes and
gasped for air, coughing up water.
“You said you’d catch me,” I said, when my feet
finally touched the creek bed.
“Come on, let’s go,” he said, following everyone back to the
road where the pickup was parked.
© 2010, Lorna Nakell
More info on PROOF:, an exhibition I am curating with Gail Beppu at Beppu Wiarda Gallery:
This exhibition focuses on women in the arts and sciences. It will take place during the month of March (women’s history month) at Beppu Wiarda Gallery. Nine local artists with various artistic backgrounds are participating, including myself. Each artist was required to select a woman scientist in history then to create a piece of art based on that scientist’s life and/or work. The exhibition is coordinated with Sunday art talks by participating artists along with talks by art historians on the topic of art and science, and currently working scientists speaking on their focus. In addition, some of the artists are actually collaborating with their scientists of choice. It should be a very fascinating exhibition. Stay tuned for more updates…
Participating Artists Along with Scientist of Choice:
Katie Ammons (Louise Arner Boyde - Arctic Explorer)
Aubra Ancliffe (Marie Mitchell 1818-1889 -Astromer)
Kate Copeland (Zoe Rodriguez del Rey-Envir. Sciences)
Kate Fenker (Marcia Ascher-Math/Ethnomathematics)
Bean Gilsdorf (Suzanne Gahl- Linguistics)
Kim Hamblin (Chrystal Bell Forensic biology)
Kim McKenna (Sophie Germain1776-1835 - Mathamatics)
Sarah McKenna (Countess Ada Lovelace)
Lorna Nakell (Sophie Brahe 1556-1643- Alchemy/astronomy)
Confirmed Scientist/Art Historian Talks Include
Chrystal Bell (Forensic Biologist)
Elizabeth Bilyeu (Art Historian)
Zoe Rodriguez del Rey (Environmental Scientist)
Julia Gardner (Art Historian)