Spanakopita time
water pours off her sides
as she rises tall as a giraffe
with cliffs steep
out of the azure Aegean Sea
even taller now
that molten magma
pushes her surface higher
elevates the cafe conversation
calls for more sugar in the coffee -megalo!
O Thera of dramatic heights
there is no island more
nor rugged shore
as yours!
night falls
church bells call
the flame from inside
to candle passed to light candle
to next candle light
Orthodox priests in black
with full beards swing cauldrons of myrth incense
add smoke to the acrid air
announce Chisto Anesti (again)
the populus, her earth 51/2 inches higher than last year
service over
¼ sticks of dynamite are lit and heaved over
the town wall to explode
a thick black powder cloud
envelopes the church
children tear open plastic bags of toys
feast begins
tripe soup
krassi & nero to revive
laughter & fingers grasp
red eggs to crack together
trays of spanakopita in waiting
time to eat now
ahead of tourist hordes
& money making travails
before the donkeys have to begin their climbs
cinder vineyards of Atlantis
lay bare before May flowers
"fingers grasp red eggs to crack together"--that's the kind of line I want to eat! Extra buttery crunchy to me.
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