Naiads Bathing Poem by Tom Billsborough
Naiads Bathing
Around the nuclei of polished stones
The Naiads spin and wash their hair
And fill the air with gentle laughter.
They dive below and shimmer
In the folding light like ivory ghosts,
And gliding to and fro
They flow with supple grace
Becoming also water.
But then they reappear,
with slender arms upraised
And wildly splash each other,
Their voices echoing with tinny laughter,
And once again
Around the nuclei of polished stones
The Naiads spin and wash their hair.
A feeling of peacefulness is what I got when thinking about the scene that inspired it as jenny agutter swam in a deep pool in the film Walkabout. The feeling of release was very sensitively handled by the Director (I think Nicholas Roeg) It was not and not meant to be titivating just beautifully peaceful. Your equally perceptive comment is much appreciated.
They flow with supple grace Becoming also water. But then they reappear, Amazing observation is wisely presented in this poem. Laughter spins around mind of expression...10
I try to paint in words as precisely as I can. Hope it worked. Thanks for your comment, Kumarmani
It was going to be a philosophical poem about the conscious stream polishing stones (symbolising language) but the Naiads took over. It was partly inspired by a film from your Country, Walkabout featuring Jenny Agutter.
Thank you, Kumarmani. It was going to be a philosophical poem about thestream of consciousness polishing the stones (symbolising language) but the Naiads took over!
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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8/8/2025 6:35:17 AM # 1.0.0
Dreamy... relaxing... calming... ummmmm.... putting me in a very serene place... wow... this poem is rather hypnotic, my friend. Hypnotic and beautiful
I just wanted to portray some girls having innocent fun and relaxation. Apart from the source I mentioned to Wes, I was also thinking of my childhood memories of swimming with my cousins in a beautiful river on my grandfather's estate.