Humorous poetry – They make me a dean (2)

In this excerpt, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III recalls a humorous memory from his college days when the dean was promoted to the high position of General Director—a rare honor at that time. The students organized a celebration, and His Holiness recited a lighthearted poem he wrote, continuing his earlier piece, “If I Were a Dean.”

In the poem, he imagines himself as a dean for just one month, humorously describing how he would reorganize the college entirely. He says he would make the students as disciplined “as iron,” and jokingly claims he would cancel the Geography Department because it caused too much studying! He laughs that without it, college life would be much easier—and that if people knew his worth, they wouldn’t have left him as an ordinary student.

He goes on to make fun of the endless details in geography, using funny invented words like “Bezzo, Mezo, and Kin Zoy” to represent difficult topics. He then notes that his words were simply youthful humor, acknowledging that a dean, of course, could not cancel a department. His goal was to entertain and bring joy to his classmates.

This story reveals Pope Shenouda’s elegant sense of humor and joyful spirit, showing how he could blend wit, intelligence, and simplicity even as a student.

Spiritual and Human Message:
True humor never diminishes dignity—it reflects a pure, humble heart that spreads joy to others. Holiness is not sternness; it is the balance of seriousness and joyful kindness in a spirit of love.