Shepherd

Old Manousos, the back

in a day young shepherd boy

upon the mountains of Sfakia,

proudly stood in his pew

while the priest read the Gospel

and the chanters sang

Christ is Risen and he

always with reverence

he bowed his head

old Manousos with his snow

white hair thinned by the years

with his strong belief that

he too, is a descendant of

the Minoans, would one day

rise and go meet his

predecessors in Heaven

especially his most glorious

great grandfather Minos

his primeval ancestor

until the night came when Hades

paid a visit to him and his

pew became an orphan, none

of the villagers dared stand

in his spot, none ever learned

whether old Manousos met his

relatives, especially his great

Grandfather Minos, none ever

stood at his beloved pew when

one time during the Christ is Risen

eulogy his buddy Kostas put

his thin hair on fire to

the congregation’s amusement,

such tricks were very common

in the church and to the father

Theodosios who’d smile vaguely

and keep slowly chanting

the appropriate Easter psalm