Last Swim of the Year

Lyrics

The lake is cold as silver and the reeds have turned to straw
A heron stands like a question on the far side of the shore
I leave my shoes beside the jetty and my coat upon the post
And I count to three out loud, because the counting helps the most

The water takes my breath away and gives it back as steam
The mountains wear their mist like wool, the morning's half a dream
My arms are red, my laugh is loud, it echoes off the hill
And for a moment I am nothing but this bright and shivering thrill

This is the last swim of the year
Before the frost, before the ice comes near
I will remember how the cold made clear
Everything I carry, everything I hold dear
The last swim of the year

I wrap the towel round my shoulders and I sit upon the boards
A flask of something sweet and hot, a sky of pale gold chords
The summer was a long song and I did not catch each note
But I sang along in places, and I'm glad of what I wrote

This is the last swim of the year
Before the frost, before the ice comes near
I will remember how the cold made clear
Everything I carry, everything I hold dear
The last swim of the year

Next month there'll be a skin of ice
And I will watch it from the window, warm
And think of how the water held me up
And let me go, unharmed

This is the last swim of the year
Before the frost, before the ice comes near
I will remember how the cold made clear
Everything I carry, everything I hold dear
The last swim of the year

Ah, the last swim
Ah, the last swim of the year