02-25-2021, 06:21 AM
Ode to My Ancestors
In the tenth century, you searched for new lands,
setting sail from your homes in Norway.
With light oak wood, you crafted longships,
and built them with heavy masts of pine.
Sixteen strakes per side, each one overlapping the strake below.
The keel you carved with an ax in one single piece.
You navigated the northern seas,
ships loaded with sheep and cattle, women, and children.
Riding the rugged waves, your ships dodged rocks and icebergs,
and survived the perfect storms.
The sun, stars, gulls, and wind helped you find your way.
You voyaged through dangerous, frozen, and unchartered waters,
with the constant threat of shipwreck and losing your way.
But you forged ahead without an ounce of fear or worry—
the life you led only fit for the brave.
In the tenth century, you searched for new lands,
setting sail from your homes in Norway.
With light oak wood, you crafted longships,
and built them with heavy masts of pine.
Sixteen strakes per side, each one overlapping the strake below.
The keel you carved with an ax in one single piece.
You navigated the northern seas,
ships loaded with sheep and cattle, women, and children.
Riding the rugged waves, your ships dodged rocks and icebergs,
and survived the perfect storms.
The sun, stars, gulls, and wind helped you find your way.
You voyaged through dangerous, frozen, and unchartered waters,
with the constant threat of shipwreck and losing your way.
But you forged ahead without an ounce of fear or worry—
the life you led only fit for the brave.
