21 September 2026

By Philip Kuepper

Rowing was almost
a religion with him,
a religion of body and mind.
Preparation was a prayer,
laying the shell on the water,
folding the oars, like arms,
the blades, like hands,
into the shell, in supplication,
that the water would be
receptive to being
rowed on. And, then, there was
the setting out from shore,
engaging the act itself,
getting the rite underway,
until the rower became the rite,
the rite, the rower,
knowing that were his prayer
to be answered, it was he
who must be the answer.

(20 September 2026)