walking into the small gallery

we saw

 a very intriguing  ship

way up high

above a wall of art and exotic teas

it looked like

a viking longship

the owner said

indeed it was

her scandinavian grandfather

built it long ago

spent many hours

making the details perfect

using

special wood

adding

the colors

the rigging

strung carefully

the dragon

as the figurehead

to frighten enemies

bring the vikings good luck

the “heart” symbols

valknut

for protection of the god Odin

honor their fallen warriors

symbolize the transition

between life and death

one day

he sent it

across the seas

to america

to her father

who passed it on

to his daughter

who owned the gallery

who passed on to her son

who, when he grew

passed it back to his mother

who loved it

wanted to rescue it

put it in her gallery

where she could look at it

where visitors

could admire

and wonder about

this legacy gift

the only thing

that didn’t survive

over time

were

the hand made

paper sails

he had taken such care

to raise on the mast

it lived on

through

the journeys

the generations

 the years

arriving at last

in a safe harbor

now shared

for all to enjoy

and imagine

the journeys it has taken.

—

“The more journeys you make, the more directions they take.”
– Egil’s Saga