Monuments and Memorials

Monuments and Memorials

Until yesterday, the past lived behind us,
     Treading through history,
Yearning for the next generation,
      Lording lessons
Taught by men who walked barefoot on mortars
      Seeking imperfect good,
      Dug into trenches, inching:
            Away from tyranny,
            Away from hate,
            Away from oppression,
                  Awkwardly.

Until today, the future lied before us,
      Alternating plain truth
With the brandished inconvenience of
       Hypocrisy
Cloaked in patriotism and parades
      For heroes yet to come,
      Marching Westward until:
           West encroached upon East,
           West circled round,
            West promised destiny,
                  Manifest.

Until tomorrow, presence lingers with us,
      Complicating sure hope
With legitimate disappointment
      In pained failures,
Tempered with unsullied optimism.
      Our obsessive pastime:
      Memorializing Monuments on
           Memorials built upon
           Monuments to our
           Memorials:
                History saluting tomorrow's
                     Yesterdays:
                             Our gift:
                                   Our present.