TALES OF CONQUEST: CORTES AND MONTEZUMA

And what a thunderous clash of civilizations

When the Christians of Spain met native populations!

The Europeans unleashed their weapons of war

To start the colonies they would rule from afar.

And of the famed Spaniards seeking riches and glory,

A few left their marks in a teary-eyed story.

But Conquistadors were a breed, ferocious and bold,

In seeking new lands for the large Spanish fold.

Now, one such a conqueror, Cortes was his name,

Vanquished the Aztecs, to his great credit and shame.

As he tricked the grand emperor, the man Montezuma,

In a tale of great tragedy, sorrow and druma, er…drama.

You see, a legend was told, a fabulous story,

In which white gods arrived in splendor and glory.

‘Twas an ancient belief and one they held dear,

So you can imagine the shock when now they did hear

Of some strange looking men who came from the sea,

And stood high up on creatures that moved powerfully.

An encounter, visit, with a world more divine?

The Aztecs took it on faith that such a meeting was fine.

So Montezuma did welcome Cortes to his city,

Not dreaming it would come to such a terrible pity.

-- Yes, The Spaniards attacked and near leveled the town,

Ransacking the temples and burning the ground.

The Aztecs fought hard, the fought bravely and fierce,

But, alas, their weapons could not protect or pierce.

As their thick metal armor, their canons and guns,

Let Cortes and his men take lives by the dozens!

And help came as well from the tribes who did tire

Of the harsh Aztec rulers and their greedy empire.

Of course, Spain would now plunder every last bit of gold,

But that’s the story of conquest: bloody and cold.