The Vikings
Essentially
Ruled the world.
To be clear, the European world
In the wake
Of the Roman Empire.
They were able to do this
Because they had mastered
The sea
And they thought nothing
Of exploiting it
And all those
Around them.
They were
The barbarians,
Make no mistake,
Although nostalgia
Against a Christian world
Has obscured this,
Converting
Norse gods
And mythological dread
Into a legendary past
The likes of Tolkien
Understood
To be heroic.
The thing they really accomplished,
Though,
Was discovery
Of the New World.
They called it Vinland.
But although they were
Uniquely poised
To find it
They could not
Exploit it.
For its people
Offered
Nothing of value
To them,
And that was the Viking way.
But what they accomplished
Was a tangible legacy
In the European memory,
Which was the echo of Vinland,
Which was passed down
Better than Odin,
Better than territory,
Better than treasure,
Which was the future.
The freedom
They found at sea
No matter the cost
Was to be inherited,
After all,
By the world.
Although certainly,
Not without a cost.
The first to pay
Were the Vikings themselves,
Who were left behind
By the tide of fortunes.
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