Monument in the Park

As a child I crossed the road
to the Civil War Monument
in the park across the street
from my grandparents house
where my siblings and I
rolled giggling down the green slopes
that raised the stone soldier
to the sky

names chiseled into the sides
have become lichen-covered,
faded, and forgotten
the slopes seem more gentle now
and not nearly as high

are all monuments like this
created in moments of grief
to honor the dead
who fought for us
and now
generations later
while a new war rages
and our children play on green slopes
will we remember our soldiers
and build new monuments to them

I don't want a monument.
I just want them all to come home safely
and watch their children play
on green slopes.

~Kathie Adams Brown (September 28, 2010)

One Single Impression Prompt 135: Monument