(x = space)

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A Friday in October of 1492

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He got no farther west

Than Panama,

Nine days’ journey to another ocean

And an open way (it was

presumed)

To China—

This country but a way station

To the eastern lands

Of Asia,

A new sailing away

Needs driving to exist

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But the nine days would have

Been spent over land

(for now),

And he wanted ships

To make the journey

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So he demurred

And then refused,

Returning to the boats

He knew well,

Even if he did not understand

The world he had found

For Europe to exploit

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The Taino people killed,

An exchange of diseases

Gold taken

And new spices

God is offered

By the sword

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All our legacies

Over here

What is there to say

But that this is us,

All of us,

On land and over water,

Then and now

West of east

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C L Couch

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Columbus, the Lost Voyage

based on the work of Martin Dugard

narrated by Edward Hermann

(a ritual for watching

and for hearing)

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Photo by The New York Public Library on Unsplash

Manhattan, New York, NY, USA

Theoline, Pier 11 or 12, East River, Manhattan. 1936

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