Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

The Swimmer Lyrics by Alun Lewis

0

Early, before the soldiers are awake
Or clogs go clattering from Morfa farm,
Before the red cock lifts his saurian head
Above the nettles on the whitewashed wall
And shakes the hens down from the apple trees,
I take the path, grown tricky in the rain,
Disused these last few years, all overgrown,
And scramble down the green walls of the Cwm
Across the cliff-top fields whose stony yield
Of niggard oats is hunched in dripping sheaves,
Till from a lip of shale the streaming bay
Grinds my cold ears like seashells in the traeth.
I strip, and pose, and plunge into the waves.
In the full ground-swell and the counter swell
Among the rocky channels off the Crib
Naked I flow, yet clear defined, my limbs
Laughing within the laughter of the sea.
My wet black head turns slowly in the swirl,
Leisurely as a seal, considering
The sea's four quarters and the cormorants.
So, satisfied I pick my soft-foot way
Up the crustacean rocks towards my clothes.
And in the rough green contact of the grass
Find my continuum and think of friends
Who died in deserts where I also go,
Shivering and sure of what runs on and on.
Credits
Alun Lewis

Alun Lewis

About “The Swimmer” by Alun Lewis

Read the complete lyrics to "The Swimmer" by Alun Lewis. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music.

"The Swimmer" is performed by Alun Lewis. This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Swimmer", explore more songs by Alun Lewis using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Alun Lewis · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"The Swimmer" is credited to Alun Lewis. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

Album information for "The Swimmer" is not available in our database yet. You can still read the full lyrics on this page.

Visit the Alun Lewis artist page at /artist/alun-lewis for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.