The monument stood 15 feet high. The mason walked around the pedestal and admired the handy work of the journeymen carvers. The intricate scroll work surpassed even his own expectations. There were birds and fish that exchanged positions depending on which way the sunlight hit the grooves. An eagle would cast an image of whale where on the other side of the pedestal a dolphin would project the image of a heron. He was quite pleased, as he knew the Grand Visionary would also be pleased. He lovingly glided his rough hands across the smooth stone caressing every animal. Pleased indeed.
It took much effort for the mason to climb the scaffold to face the goddess 15 feet above the ground, but he did so with reverence and awe. He skin was polished gold over granite. In the image of Hazeline, gone so many years now. Her beauty was seared into his psyche and intended or not his hands chiseled her visage into the stone. In flesh Hazeline lived only 27 years, now as Calypso she would live an eternity. The poet said Calypso ensorcelled Odysseus for 10 years. The mason was ensorcelled for eternity. Before he climbed down the mason whispered into Calypso’s carved ear the words meant for Hazeline alone. He would have no other chance to speak of his love once the monument was in place overlooking the sea. They were words of love, of longing but never of sorrow or of loss. That was a path he promised never to walk down as Hazeline passed over.
It was time. With a nod to the apprentices the scaffold was dismantled and the rollers began to turn while the great stone icon moved closer to the sea. As Calypso made her way toward the harbor windows opened with faces appearing to gaze upon the face of a goddess. His goddess. For he alone knew who inspired the great sea nymph. The crowd at the harbor was larger than the mason had ever seen. Word must have spread throughout the countryside bringing the reverent and curious alike to witness the homecoming of the towns’ beloved patron. Even the Grand Visionary was not his usual churlish self, but was beaming with pride as Calypso was pulled up the long ramp to her final resting place over the harbor. She would protect the boats and crew as they ventured forth to reap the bounty of the sea and guide them safely home again as the setting sun would reflect beauty in golden light. It was a light that the mason knew very well, ever since Hazeline placed it in his heart all those years ago.