Put me by
Moving water
When I’m old.
A lake, a sea, a stream—
any wet thing.
So long as I can watch
Light-play on the surface,
The membrane dappled by wind,
Hear the glug and gurgle of water pockets
slapping the hulls of moored boats,
And smell the tang of moisture in the air,
I will be happy.
Melissa Shaw-Smith
Writer
Melissa Shaw-Smith 
YES. I can hear it now, eyes closed.
It’s hard for someone who has never lived by water to understand how silent and tasteless it is in its absence. This is a beautiful capturing of that feeling. Thank you.
Thanks, Cat. Yes, growing up in Ireland, you’re never far from water–a lake, a river, or the sea. It’s in the blood, so to speak.
I know *exactly* what you mean.
I love moving water too, and have enjoyed the times living near the ocean and hearing its soothing sounds at night.
Yes, there’s something about the sound of the ocean that has a wonderful soothing effect . . . perhaps it reminds us of the womb!
I really enjoyed reading this poem. Lovely and powerful!
Thank you!
Thanks so much! I really enjoy reading your work too.
You are a real Jack of all trades!
What a beautiful poem! I love moving water, the sound is full of stories, babbling- calming the mind, hypnotizing: pure relaxation.
There’s something about sleeping next to water that induces a deep, deep calm. Thanks for taking the time to comment on the poem. Glad it struck a chord.