Leeds: Man is dragged from River Aire
Around 30 firefighters rescued a man from the River Aire in Leeds.
The man, thought to be in his early 30s, was unconscious when he was dragged out of the water by Leeds crews before being taken to Leeds General Infirmary in a waiting ambulance.
He was reported to have entered the river near Wellington Place and Monk Bridge in the city centre at around 7.30pm on Friday.
Watch manager Jeffreys said: "If he had gone much further he would have been in severe trouble, once it goes down towards the Dark Arches and through the sluices, no-one survives that."
Yorkshire Evening Post Tuesday, 3rd November
a man fell headfirst into the water.
And when the people sat down with their coffee and the toast
the dog holding his leash
the child dripping the oats
Mr. Melton clanking his trash on the way to the curb
and read the post they wondered.
why
and did he do it on purpose
was there a broken
heart
or a lost job
(five-to-one it was job said the men)
maybe he lost his money or worse
his wife's money
and maybe
he had no other way to see it through
thought one person
who quickly changed their mind.
One person living in Brisbey thought this: what did he think looking into the water.
On 53rd and Port a man said out loud into the fine air to himself
he thought it would be a quiet journey
and then was ashamed;
so much to ask for.
perhaps it was for a change and not to think
and for the best;
yes, it was for the best.
hopefully he lived a good life hopefully
he was not young and wanted
not to have to see anything else
the world cracking open over him in such a new new way
while floating on his back,
a tint of gray he had never noticed flowing above him
the taste of the Aire like a stone in his mouth
a man running along the shore waving his arms at the birds and the two lovers
asleep on the bank
a bird stabbing sticks into a nest
a tiny yellowish one
whose name he could not remember.
