28 June 2016

The river was
aswirl with eights,
once the Bumps
got underway.

And bump the competitors did,
to the cheers of those
lining the banks;

the competitors’ faces
merry with sport,
yet beneath the merriment

a set expression
of determination
to do their best,

outdo every other boat
with almost inhuman
surges of adrenalin.

They were pumped
for the Bumps,
a swirl of eights to the finish.

Philip Kuepper
(20 April 2016)