A ship across the moon

Empty thoughts of sea

                           The three of them sat before the window looking at the sea.

                            One talked about the sea. The second listened. The third
                            neither spoke nor listened; he was deep in the sea; he floated.
                            Behind the window panes, his movements were slow, clear
                            in the thin pale blue. He was exploring a sunken ship.
                            He rang the dead bell for the watch; fine bubbles
                            rose bursting with a soft sound - suddenly,
                           'Did he drown?' asked one; the other said: 'He drowned.' The
                            third one
                           looked at them helpless from the bottom of the sea, the way one
                           looks at drowned people.


                          Poetry of Yiannis Ritsos