​Dustin Brookshire        Wilton Manors         (Gregg Shapiro)
Revisionist Villanelle

Columbus couldn’t navigate for shit,
but that isn’t how his story is told.
There is too much history we don’t admit.

If you praise Columbus— quit.
He chopped off hands for lack of gold.
The man couldn’t navigate for shit.

In 1500, Ferdinand found Columbus unfit.
Spaniards were tired of being controlled.
There is too much history we don’t admit.

Columbus was stripped of his governorship,
but still funded to find more gold,
even though he couldn’t navigate for shit.

A tyrant, murderer, enslaver. A culprit
textbooks let get away. So many sins untold.
There is too much history we don’t admit:

Columbus was a sex trafficker. We omit,
and no one knows how many girls he sold.
Christopher Columbus is a piece of shit.
There is too much history we don’t admit.

Originally published in Oddball Magazine.
​​