I've been told that Vikings were evil
That they slayed innocents in attacks
Burning down villages for their pleasure
Spreading their brand of malice, mayhem
Without purpose but to kill and steal
But those people do not understand
That they raided, explored, discovered
Because they were amazing, driven
Having grown more mouths to feed
Trade would help but forced to fight
Growing numbers in a marginal land
Meant instead they'd die, a cruel fate
Unless you can travel through time
Convincing the Vikings to migrate
There is no honor judging the past
As nothing was the same, nor easy
Vikings aren't the only false subject
Being judged by knowledge of now
Instead of the easy answers of today
A generation 300 years away will say
How dare we, now, have done it all
We'll be accused of not knowing
Not having trusted the correct source
Or by way of morals, be chastised
Not knowing the difference between
Being forced to act in the moment
Or having the leisure time to decide
From years of sacrifice or disaster
All those deaths by others
Learning so we may not
Ourselves do the same
