Five hundred years ago Giovanni da Verrazzano came to the New York area
being the first known Westerner to declare doing so.
April seventeenth celebrates him.

I’m not positive that I want to celebrate
the desecration of the native lives that his coming
predicated,
but I acknowledge that my existence here in the Bronx
would be inconceivable without Giovanni’s prior involvement.

My convenient life, as well as the suffering of millions of others
is built upon Giovanni’s voyages,
so there is that.

Well done!