Discovery?

Discovery?

In fourteen hundred ninety-two,
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
Across the unknown western seas,
He went to find the East Indies.
Twenty-four hundred miles he thought
Was how far to the lands he sought.
Wrong was he by fivefold or so,
But yet the Royals let him go.

Five weeks from Canary Island,
He led his small maritime band.
And there was seen a shore again
As ended the easterly sea lane.
The next four months he island-hopped
As for the Asian spices he shopped.
He found the chili pepper hot,
But not much else to spice the pot.

His eye did seek other treasure
To bring him and sponsors pleasure.
In the natives' trinkets of gold,
His chance for riches, he did behold.
One tenth was his by the decree
Signed when he was sent out to sea.
Perhaps they thought he would not return,
But the gamble might profits earn.

And so gathering what he could,
He turned back to make his claim good. 
His own success he richly praised
And soon a larger fleet was raised.
All of Europe passed 'round his name
Spreading wide his explorer's fame.
The Admiral, Governor too,
Had conquered the ocean blue.

Now the Spanish empire began
To add the conquest of the land.
All that was west of the Pope's line
Was Spain's realm by powers divine;
The riches, the land, even people,
Dealt cards from the Catholic steeple.
Subjects to rule by force needed,
Their pagan rights so quickly ceded.

Centuries later, in this land,
We celebrate the ocean spanned
And honor those who led us here
To this “discovered” hemisphere.
'Though helped by serendipity,
Europe took the opportunity
To fill the space (or seize a bit)
And, in their own eyes, upgrade it.