Spices were really highly prized,
They commanded quite a trade,
Cardamom, ginger, turmeric,
All of them made the grade.
All these spices found their way,
To Europe prior to the CE,
The Ethiopians were the best merchants,
Around the shores of the Red Sea.
Arab traders then took over,
Aiming to supplant,
Shipping spices into Venice,
Via the Levant.
Black pepper then took over,
As the spice of choice,
Vasco de Gama shipped it in,
And Europe all rejoiced.
Later on the trade was led,
By the Portugese,
And Spain wanting to try to get their cut,
Went west to reach the East Indies.