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
Manolis Aligizakis 