THE ISLAND SHEPHERD
Almost thirty years gone by
the day I first saw Monhegan,
shaped like the back of a whale
Almost thirty years gone by
I first saw the shepherd,
the congregation of sheep,
his companion gander.
Almost thirty years gone by
I began a search for the storybook
long out of print, now out of reach,
of the island shepherd and the island boy who found a friendship.
Almost thirty years gone by
and Fate set circumstance in motion.
through mutual love
of the magical island,
I meet a stranger who becomes a friend.
Fate had entwined our lives.
Without my knowledge,
and beyond belief,
it placed the book in her grasp.
She understood at once the Truth
and Essence of the event...
"There are times
when we become the Instrument
that Fate uses to bring joy to others.
We must allow ourselves
to be taken over
for that rare and unique purpose."
And so it came to pass,
on the magical island
one perfect July day,
almost thirty years gone by,
I held the book,
a gift from Fate,
delivered by an understanding friend.
The island shepherd looked upon us
that day,
he smiled,
for he knew he had brought two lambs
into his flock of sojourning island souls, two lambs
whose frendship was forged
by the hand of Fate,
and the island the shepherd loved.
Jacqueline Baldini
R.A. Szostek
published
Monhegan Commons
copyright
