Dolphin
Hermias of Iasos
A dolphin fell in love with me.
Probably because of my looks—
people always said, What a pretty boy you are.
I was coming home from Gymnasium,
I was so sweaty from running,
we all were, we all ran into the sea,
its freshness,
we gargled the water, we threw it from our hair—
I washed my limbs in the waves,
and I heard him calling.
I didn’t want the other boys to see.
But I kept glancing at the shimmering sea,
hoping he was there. My dolphin.
I dreamed about becoming
a dolphin, being carried
on the waves, doing flips while the boys clapped from the docks,
chasing the elegant boats,
making choreography in their wakes.
I dreamed.
The sight of a dolphin is always
a little bit magical,
even on our island.
But he liked that I was human.
That is why he fell in love with me.
Because I wasn’t a dolphin.
He liked my singing voice.
I blushed, but I knew he thought I was good
at singing made-up songs.
I never liked animals,
not really trusting something
that doesn’t talk.
But I knew what he felt.
One day I walked right into the water.
I was surprised by how his skin felt.
Pricklier than it looks.
He let me put my mouth to his blowhole
Oh my god
it was the saltiest thing I tasted.
I held onto his fin and we swam, he always dove up
so I could breathe.
I came home exhilarated.
My parents were mad I dripped all over the house,
dragging my wet feet across the floor,
dripping onto the pillows
and the white blankets.
Why are you swimming all evening?
When there’s homework to be done!
My mother said she could smell the salt
and it disgusted her.
Take a shower right now.
Night entered the sea.
Night where there is no future.
I imagined his gray body against the waves.
I sat in our courtyard with olive trees.
Gulls laughed at me,
the open door.
Waking from the incomplete dream,
I wanted to possess him—
What a weird thing for a child to say, I know.
Dolphins carried Dionysus to the underworld,
disappearing each winter—
Would mine carry me there?
Winter came. The constellations
disappeared.
It’s terrible what happens next, but our playing
turned rough. It was an accident.
I was bleeding
in the water, I hardly noticed at first,
but then the panic set in.
I started thrashing in the water.
My dolphin wanted to save me.
He hadn’t meant to cut my flesh
with his sharp fin,
the salt was stinging.
I blacked out.
I died on shore, my dolphin tossed me there.
And he flung himself there, too,
to die beside me.
I am a little famous.
I was loved by a dolphin.
They minted coins that showed us playing.
I never thought
they would miss me.
And they make songs about us,
the humans,
saying that dolphins were human once,
and charmed by singing.
