Statuary

Not in big city plaza or in small town square,

No, neither in a National Park nor even on the

estate of the wealthy will they erect a bronze

statue of me.

I never made war or stood tall in defense of one.

I never led thousands to slaughter in some legen-

dary charge; nor did I ever lead a country or a

people out of the bonds of tyranny.

I will not stand stiff and patina-covered in the

courtyard or halls of some prestigious university,

lauded visually as a pioneer of nation, discoverer

or innovator in science or government.

No not me. I shall not be idolized, memorialized

or cast dignified and larger than life at a stadium

portico for children to gawk at in awe and admira-

tion.

Copeland did compose a Fanfare for the Common

Man, but that’s about all one can hope for without

being honored specifically by name. No fortune nor

fame do I seek or deserve.

For my life has been droll comparatively and

comprised of lackluster and piddling deeds.

And for an image of me to wield a sword or

ride on horseback would be comedic travesty.

Just ask anyone who knows me. There isn’t a

suitable pose I could strike which wouldn’t cause

a passerby to laugh. No, in this lifetime, bronze

And I were never meant as a viable match.

Now I’m just guessing, but I suppose pretty much

The same goes for you.

Chris Hanch  8-27-15