by riitta santala-köykkä
Tempera on plywood
h: 30 w: 15 d: 2 (cms).
A dragon sailing in stormy winds
peeled its eyes and breathed fire
when it spotted a lonely ship
ramming through gusts of wind.
The ship saw villagers fleeing for life.
“Don’t you run! I am gentle!
I will protect you from the dragon!”
Men turned around and rushed into the ship.
Women gathered all children under their petticoats
and spurted away as quickly as mice.
The dragon went fuming furious,
caught the ship in its talons,
then wrenched and shook it,
howled and raged.
Mad and frantic, it flew to the Outer Hebrides,
hurled the ship into the land and burst into gales of laughter.
Men staggered out, throwing up.
The dragon purred.
Thus began the Vikings’ journeys.
I took part in them when I was very little.
Once I fell into the water from our vikingaskeppet.
My father drank up the sea.
This story is true.
Poem by Riitta Santala-Köykkä