Arrival in Bahia

On Easter Wednesday
in the year 1500
I, Pedro Álvares Cabral,
born in Belmonte,
fidalgo to the Royal Household,
discovered by accident
this land.

I named it
with this wooden cross.
I had no stone to mark the ground
of my possession.
My square-rigged vessel
bound for Calicut
did not lodge so great a quest
within its ample hold.

Forgive me for the manner
of my leaving.
(I stayed twelve days in all).

I was diverted by the dream of
amber, indigo, cinnamon, myrrh
sifting into the depths of ships;
rich gifts of pearls
for the prima donnas
back home.

I did not think that I would
make it into history
   
or that a part of me would remain
in perpetuity

a hero
among the young.