A Poem by David Constantine

Watching For Dolphins

In the summer months on every crossing to Piraeus One noticed that certain passengers soon rose From seats in the packed saloon and 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 on the sea, and a fat man Hung with equipment to photograph the occasion 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 their last opportunity all gazed Undecided whether a flat calm were favourable Or a sea the sun and the wind between them raised To a likeness of dolphins. Were gulls 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, centred On grace, and heavily and 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 disappointment the company Dispersed and prepared to land in the city.