Chiseling Toward the Truth
Better to build a statue of a symbol than a man
The former tells of noble truths, the latter rarely can
For every hero we exalt and set upon a base
Must be considered for their faults as much as for their grace
Let bronzes be the best of us, for virtues we revere
Why spend the time to cast a bust of one’s abject career?
A deity, an archetype, or personage of myth
Does more to honor victory than hollow monoliths
The marbles, metals, woods and stones that stand in open space
Are paragons of human life, or should be in each case
Corrupted clay, obstructed ore, and plaster most profane
Are such a waste of nature’s wealth on figures inhumane
The terracotta army, Nike, Thinker and the Sphinx
Are timeless and magnificent, transcending all high jinks
The Little Mermaid, Venus, Christ Redeemer and Ma‘oi
Are universal diplomats for any to enjoy
Across the globe we celebrate our hopes, ideals, and feats
No matter what the culture is, our heroes line the streets
We prop them up with good intent, believing they’ll inspire
But when they veer from what was meant, we must clean up the mire
For those of us in the U.S., remember who we are
A mostly foreign ancestry, we came here from afar
Behold our Lady Liberty, who welcomes with her flame
“Give me your tired, your poor…” she says, without a word of blame
If we can’t treat each other well, her torch will sputter out
Her shackles will restore themselves, her freedom thrown in doubt
What once depicted empathy is empty of that light
Allow our copper goddess to restore her former might
Co-forged to honor partnership, domestic and abroad
She still endures despite the split, perhaps her arm will prod
The angry hordes of citizens to shine their lights within
And rediscover unity as an American
