Prayer

A sailor drowned in the sea's depths.-- Unaware, his mother goes and lights

a tall candle before the ikon of our Lady praying that he'll come back quickly, that the weather may be good --

her ear cocked always to the wind. While she prays and supplicates,

the ikon listens, solemn, sad, knowing the son she waits for never will come back.

C. P. Cavafy