What did Columbus do in 1492?

Since this is Columbus Day I will put my Columbus poem on the blog, which appears in my book, Tale of Tails with a Thirst for Verse. It was also published as you see it below in the Tulsa World Newspaper.
What Did Columbus Do In Fourteen Ninety-two?
Poor Christopher Columbus’ life was fraught with troubles. He fought long and hard to get financing for his westward voyage to what he thought was a short-cut to India. His crew planned to throw him overboard, but he dispelled their fears by landing at San Salvador, off the coast of Florida October 12, 1492—history 101. And here, some 500 years later, a would-be poet is poking fun at him.
It took eight years to get someone to believe that outfitting vessels for the venture was worthwhile. When Columbus solicited the king of Portugal for aid, King John II secretly took Columbus’ charts and dispatched his own ships, but failed.
Help from England and France was not available. Queen Isabella of Spain showed interest, but the struggle with the Moors took all of Spain’s attention. After Grenada capitulated she agreed to finance Columbus and gave him the titles of Admiral and Viceroy. One tenth of the treasures obtained in the newly discovered lands were to be his, however, King Ferdinand reneged on this at pay-off time.
Three small vessels—Santa Maria, Pinta and Nina, with a crew of 90, plus 30 officers and others, set sail toward the west. Twenty-one days later, his sailors thought the voyage was doomed. They sabotaged the rudder on the Pinta to get them to return. With a firm resolve, Columbus stopped at the Canaries for repairs. On their way again, the crew was unnerved at sighting an active volcano along the route. The sea-weeds of Sargasso appeared to them as a bad omen, and when calm winds were followed by a strong breeze, the spineless crew wept like babies. Columbus showed fewer miles covered so the crew wouldn’t feel upset. He kept a secret log for the actual miles.
Admiral Columbus promised to reward the first one to sight land. Finally he heard, “Land ho!” He overcame the perils of storms and mutiny sailing the high seas, and now, even worse, we ruffle his sails with verse:

What Did Columbus Do In Fourteen-Ninety-Two?©
By James E. Tate

He waved with respect from the helm of his deck,
Good-bye to Isabella and Ferdinand.
The Sovereigns of Spain stood riches to gain
By discovering a foreign land.

But did Columbus betray what historians say,
That America is where he went?
Let a candid review of his sailing crew
Shed light on this noted event.

His vessel was leaking as land he was seeking,
As cross the seas he sailed.
And Columbus’ crew more mutinous grew
As rising waters they bailed.

Was he just faking history in making
Before America was in his sights?
For the boat where he stood had holes in the wood,
His sailors were all Termites!