April Monuments

 The San Jacinto monument, taller than the Washington monument, for the April 21, 1836 victory of rag-tag Texican upstarts winning their independence, a year before Emerson wrote the poem honoring the rag-tag New England upstarts beginning their fight for independence on April 19, 1775.

I find it interesting that both my brother and I have granddaughters named after Emerson. Mine is Katherine Emerson Clark, now of Germany. Jerry's is Emerson Lauren Cave, of Dallas, Tex.

The monument at the bridge
with poem inscribed

"Concord Hymn"

Ralph Waldo Emerson

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.


The foe long since in silence slept;
Alike the conqueror silent sleeps;
And Time the ruined bridge has swept
Down the dark stream which seaward creeps.


On this green bank, by this soft stream,
We set to-day a votive stone;
That memory may their deed redeem,
When, like our sires, our sons are gone.


Spirit, that made those spirits dare,
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.

April 19, 1995, Oklahoma City--a monument to a people and city's resilience.