POETRY: 'Cure all ills from aches and pains...for this is medicinal not madness'

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A poem by Barry Williams

In this age of constant change,

Our daily lives we seek to rearrange,

Whether it’s a new form of exercise,

Or something that requires a resilience to acclimatise,

When the summer months subside,

In different bodies of water these individuals are spied,

The sun is a little lower in the sky,

To plunge your being into the water cold,

A kind of lunacy dedicated to the brave and the bold,

When others are stopping we’re just starting,

From the dry shore we are departing,

To submerge ourselves into temperatures that are not ideal,

On entry there are several expletives and the odd squeal,

Groups are formed,

Social media is stormed,

With the photo opportunity,

Of a practice that forms an unbreakable unity,

It brings people together,

Getting in no matter what the weather,

Friendships are forged in the murky depths,

Health benefits in the cold exposure steps,

It’ll cure all ills from aches and pains to a hint of sadness,

For this is medicinal not madness.