The Capitol in Monuments

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March 28th 2013

Published: March 28th 2013

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emak

Smithsonian Castle

Well, we didn't make it to Baltimore. There was a miscommunication with the bus company, so we will be going to Baltimore on Friday. Instead, we walked the National Mall. With a strong wind and sunshine, we trooped past the Washington Monument (being repaired) and all the way down to the Lincoln Memorial. After seeing it in so many movies, it was quite amazing to be standing there in person. And the small display - funded by students - was very interesting because it had many of his quotes, the tools used to sculpt the Lincoln statue and pictures and video of all the things that have happened on Lincoln's steps. My favorite part of the Lincoln Memorial was seeing where Martin Luther King stood to give his speech. It was very cool to look out on what he would have seen - minus about 10,000 people of course. We then made our way over to the Korean War Memorial. On the wall, faces are engraved, and as you look, your own face is reflected with their faces. In front of the wall, are a group of statue soldiers trying to make their way across Korea. While at the Korean War

Walking towards the Memorials

Memorial, we saw many vetrans of the wars, which the students found amazing and exciting. Our next stop was the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, where the 6th graders read the "I Have a Dream" portion of the "I Have a Dream" speech. It was a very well done memorial: an impressive Dr. King, hewn from the mountain of despair, stares out, stares into the future he dreamed of. Next, we walked across to the Vietnam War memorial - one that I have looked forward to seeing for quite some time. Not too far from the wall of names are three statues, soldiers from the Vietnam War. As our director pointed out to the students, their faces are not proud and brave, confident that they will succeed. Looking at their faces, war did not look like something glorious. And their gazes were directed toward the wall where the names of so many who at one time looked like them were inscribed. Like the Korean War Memorial, you are reflected back as you look at the names of those who died - a very moving and humbling experience.

A Name on a Wall

When all that is left

The Washington Monument

Is a name carved in stone -

Keys and Little, William and Joe -

It is easy to forget

How much we owe.

There is no face, no voice

To put with your name.

Your actions a blur on old footage,

A fuzzy photograph in a textbook,

Something to be looked at and

Forgotten.

But,

When I look at your name,

White against the black granite,

Carved small in between so many others,

It is my face, my eyes, that look back,

And I see

Your story is my story.

My actions exist because yours were stopped.

You paid the price for my freedom,

And you live on in my life,

Even if I am not aware of it.

You are more than a name of the wall.

We ended our memorial tour with the World War II Memorial before we headed off to a late lunch and ended our day at the American Indian Museum. After so much fresh air and walking, I am ready for an early night. Tomorrow we are off to Colonial