Las Naves De Madera

LAS NAVES DE MEDERA (Wooden Ships) They wanted ships. What they got was wooden shells not a farthing from the Crown for these floating buckets. Six thousand corks, hastily riveted into the keel planking, kept them afloat. Nina. Santa Maria. Pinta. Nothing ventured, nothing gained said Isabella. Ah, muchacho, would she ever cash in. The navigater shot the course over the main, visions of tapestry and lace and all sorts of spices in his head. Gold? Well--Sí, oro. But he never dreamed. The natives appeared naked and restless. In scatted shades of blues and reds, artists painted skirts on the girls, long shirts on the old women, loincloth on the men, and a pearl studded gilded robe on the king. Which Chris promptly stole. His mistake was trying to hide it from Isabella. © ron wilson arbuthnot aka Vee Bdosa the Doylestown Poet