In the summer months, on every crossing to Piraeus

One noticed that certain passengers soon rose

From seats in the packed saloon with serious

looks and no acknowledgement of a common purpose

Passed forward through the small door into the bows

To watch for dolphins. One saw them lose

Every other wish. Even the lovers

turned their desires towards on the sea, and a fat man

Hung with equipment to photograph the occassion

Stared like a saint, through sad bi-focals: others

Hopeless themselves, looked to the children for they

would see dolphins if anyone would. Day after day

Or on the last opportunity all gazed

Undecided whether a flat calm were favouable

Or a sea, the sun and the wind between them raised

To a likeness of dolphins. Were guls a sign, that fell

Screeching from the sky or over an unremarkable place

Sat in a silent school? Every face

After its character implored the sea.

All unaccustomed, wanted epiphany,

Praying the sky would clang and the abused Aegean

Reverberate with cymbal, gong and drum.

We could not imagine more prayer, and had they then

On the waves, on the climax of our longing come

Smiling, snub-nosed, domed like satyrs, oh

We should have laughed and lifted the children up

Stranger to Stranger, pointing how with a leap

they left their element, three or four times, centered

on grace, and heavily warm re-entered,

Looping the keel, we should have felt them go

Further and Further into the deep parts. But soon

We were among the great tankers, under their chains

in black water. We had not seen the dolphins

But woke, blinking. Eyes cast down

With no admission of dissapointment the company

Dispersed and prepared to land in the city