A Monument: Pride Or Pain (To Never Forget)

When I pass by it
With pride or pain,
I want to always remember
The victors or slain.

To never forget
The raw history it teaches,
The vivid story it tells,
The silent lessons it preaches.

And though it should never
Be worshiped or idolized,
The meaning behind it
Should always be analyzed.

Whether to remember a wrong
Which should never be repeated,
Or to honor a right
That was nearly defeated.

But if it is taken
Away from future sights,
We might end up repeating
Some uncivilized plights.

We must all view history
Whether good or bad.
We must all learn
From the examples we’ve had.

Not all of them
Have been truly great,
But we can’t change the past
Just by wiping the slate.

I want to always remember
With pride or pain
The message of a monument
Again, and again.