Leif’s Belief (archives)

The planks and oarsmen groaned as one,

The wind began to blow,

And at the bow, Leif Erikson’s

Unease began to grow.

He’d put his trust in Jesus now,

And sailed to serve The Lord;

Yet Odin’s ravens mocked him

As the longboat left the fjord.

Soon blown off course, old doubts set in

And caused him great distress–

He grabbed a slave and thundered,

“Thrall, bring me the prophetess!”

The witch came forth, her robe bedecked

With skulls and precious stones,

And calling on the Alfather,

She cast her ancient bones.

“What is it?” Leif called out to her,

“What do The Old One’s say?”

“They say a man should trust his god

To guide him on his way.”

And so he climbed the mast to pray,

And high up there he saw

A land ahead that would, someday,

Be named America.

–Photo by me

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