John Smith lands at Jamestown
Columbus at Hispaniola
Something happened to each of them
Maybe the sight of a spouting whale
Or a dream had in the sunlight on the deck
With a sea lion instructing to "touch the wolf"
What is the wolf?
It is that which troubles you
That from which you flee
Maybe it was a melody contained in the mast
In harmony with the groaning ship's wheel
In the tempo of waves slapping the hull
Something dislodged in each of them
The idiot errand sailing for spices gold
Land to steal and then populate with slaves
And slave masters
Has dissolved from the creases of their minds
And reaching the shore and seeing
The sands the rocks the forest the people
The scampering animals
Sensing the florid breeze
All that Christopher Columbus
All that John Smith feels
Is awe
Is wonder
Is ecstasy
Is Earth gratitude
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